Barcelona beats United

This is the way it was supposed to happen. The ultimate justification of the way football should be played. The most exciting and breath-taking team crowned as champions of a continent. For both the casual fans who gorge themselves on youtube highlights and the elitist purists, the right team won. For the good of the game, the right team won. The triumph of good over, well, not really evil but the triumph of good nevertheless.

Barcelona’s victory over Manchester United in the Champions League final didn’t have the same good versus evil overtones as their semifinal clash with Chelsea but surely everyone outside of Manchester and Madrid were pulling for the Catalan aesthetes. Beyond the first ten minutes, Barcelona dominated the game and ensured the Champions League winner was truly the best of the continent. This wasn’t a back-to-the-walls situation for United but it may have been more dispiriting and embarrassing than even that. Barcelona displayed a type of class that made United look like they didn’t belong in the game. Excepting the opening stages when he looked monstrously unstoppable, Cristiano Ronaldo did almost nothing save commit a few fouls. He didn’t even have much chance to display his patented pout. Wayne Rooney was rendered completely anonymous and second-half substitute Carlos Tevez, described often as an insatiable bulldog, was toothless.

United were theoretically in the game until Barcelona’s second but any objective observer could see it would take a miracle for United to score. The disappointment of United’s attack was compounded when you consider the makeshift Barcelona defense. Sylvinho – in his first Champions League final at a tender 35 years of age – deputized at left-back for the suspended Eric Abidal. Carlos Puyol, a regular centre-back, played as a right full-back and was one of the stars of the game as he shut down United’s left flank and ventured dangerously forward several times. In the center, Gerard Pique – surely fourth choice at the beginning of the season – partnered Yaya Toure, a central midfielder. United finished with Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov on the field but perhaps what they were missing was a battering ram type of striker. The type of striker like Didier Drogba who disconcerted Barcelona so much more often than United’s foursome.

The major story going into the game was the Ronaldo versus Messi debate. I belong to the school who thinks the title of ‘Best Player in the World’ should belong to a midfielder not an attacker but it was a legitime topic of argument. Surely, Messi will win the plaudits this year after a lovely goal for the winning team but I would contend neither is the best player on their team. Wayne Rooney is the man who makes United tick and Barcelona’s strings are pulled by Xavi and Iniesta. For all the praise that’s showered on this duo – Xavi was selected player of the game – it’s not nearly enough. They form the spine of the European champions in both club and country competition. In retrospect, it’s laughable that anyone would think Michael Carrick, Anderson and Ryan Giggs could hold their own against them. Perhaps, as has been suggested, the inclusion of Darren Fletcher and his brand of steel could have made a difference but surely that would have just pushed Xavi and Iniesta to another level.

And that’s the most astonishing aspect of this game. For all the greatness of this United team, it looked like Barcelona could have gone several gears higher if necessary. Their style may not actually have higher gears – after all, we didn’t see any against Chelsea – but their passing and their movement looked almost languid and effortless at times. It looked like they were taking a stroll in the park and United could have been a West Brom or a Racing Santander for all anyone cared. It is utterly shocking that the Premier League champions were unable to win the ball back from their opponents when they were chasing the game. The early goal helped but the Barcelona victory seemed as routine as a scrimmage against their B team. There was no doubt who was superior in this match.

Barcelona denied United the opportunity to be the first repeat European champions since 1990 – before even the inception of the Champions League. The future of this team is bright and they will surely challenge in Europe for several years with these players. There are very few holes although the depth of the squad could be shored up. Barca were lucky this year as none of their top players suffered important injuries but there are younger players like Bojan, Caceres and Brusquets, who was preferred over Keita and put in a very accomplished performance, ready to make the team better. And surely you can expect a club like Barcelona to make a splash or two in the transfer market.

Meanwhile, United have some decisions to make. Many of their supporters will consider it a wildly succesful season despite the disappointment of the final in Rome. A World Club Cup and a Carling Cup are nice trophies to hang alongside their 18th league title, tying bitter rivals Liverpool for most in English history. They too have a number of youngsters who look ready to make the leap but questions remain. Right back has been a concern all year although Rafael da Silva and the return of Wes Brown may be enough to fill that void. The major issue is at the top of the field. For all their attacking options, it has been United’s defense that has brought their success this season. Berbatov has been a colossal disappointment and the future of Tevez is in doubt. It will be fascinating to see how United retool and frightening to think how much better they can become.

So this was a final against the two best teams in Europe who will undoubtedly improve next year. The game was never edge-of-the-seat exciting but the sheer quality of Barcelona was enough to please the most cynical of neutrals. There are some games you will never forget. The Liverpool-Milan clash in Istanbul is a prime example. Then there are some teams you will never forget. Teams that mark their place in history like lions in the wild. Teams that people will write about in books decades from now. Teams that make the sport wonderful to watch. Barcelona this year was one of those teams.