Barcelona
- 1 Víctor Valdés
- 3 Gerard Piqué
- 5 Carles Puyol
- 6 Xavi Hernández
- 8 Andrés Iniesta
- 9 Samuel Eto'o
- 10 Lionel Messi
- 14 Thierry Henry
- 16 Sylvinho
- 24 Yaya Touré
- 28 Sergio Busquets
Substitutes
- 13 José Pinto
- 2 Martín Cáceres
- 7 Eidur Gudjohnsen
- 11 Bojan Krkić
- 15 Seydou Keita
- 27 Pedro Rodríguez
- 46 Marc Muniesa
Coach
Josep Guardiola
Man. United
- 1 Edwin van der Sar
- 3 Patrice Evra
- 5 Rio Ferdinand
- 7 Cristiano Ronaldo
- 8 Anderson
- 10 Wayne Rooney
- 11 Ryan Giggs
- 13 Ji-Sung Park
- 15 Nemanja Vidić
- 16 Michael Carrick
- 22 John O'Shea
Substitutes
- 29 Tomasz Kuszczak
- 9 Dimitar Berbatov
- 17 Nani
- 18 Paul Scholes
- 21 Rafael
- 23 Jonny Evans
- 32 Carlos Tévez
Coach
Sir Alex Ferguson
- Referee
- Massimo Busacca (SUI)
- Assistant referee
- Matthias Arnet (SUI)
- Fourth official
- Claudio Circhetta (SUI)
- UEFA Delegate
- Jim Stjerne Hansen (DEN)
- UEFA Referee observer
- Marc Batta (FRA)
Minute-by-minute
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: Welcome to the Stadio Olimpico for the final of the UEFA Champions League between FC Barcelona and Manchester United FC. Holders Manchester United are on a record-breaking 25-match unbeaten run in the competition and are aiming to capture their fourth European Champion Clubs' Cup – and, with it, become the first team to retain the trophy in the UEFA Champions League era. But Barcelona have been devastating in front of goal this season and if anyone can stop Sir Alex Ferguson's side, it will be the top scorers in this season's competition. | ||
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: The team selections are in and there are no surprises in either lineup. Gerard Piqué and Yaya Touré will play at the heart of the Barcelona defence while suspensions for Eric Abidal and Daniel Alves means the full-back positions are taken by Carles Puyol and Sylvinho. Sergio Busquets replaces Touré in the holding midfield role, behind Andrés Iniesta and Xavi Hernández. The three-pronged attack is back with Thierry Henry fit to play alongside Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi. | ||
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: Rio Ferdinand has made the starting XI for Sir Alex Ferguson's side despite not having played since the semi-final second-leg victory at Arsenal FC while, as the manager promised, John O'Shea plays at right-back. The midfield trio will be Michael Carrick, Anderson and the evergreen Ryan Giggs while Ji-Sung Park and Wayne Rooney will support Cristiano Ronaldo up front. | ||
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: With 20 minutes to go until kick-off the Olimpico is almost full. Barcelona have finished their pre-match warm-up and Guardiola will be running through his final plans in the dressing room now. Ronaldo has just scored a screamer for United as they wind down before heading in. | ||
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: The opening ceremony is well under way, adding to the atmosphere at the stadium which looks fantastic now it is full. UEFA President Michel Platini is watching on, with Prince William of Wales and the King of Spain sat alongside him. | ||
| Kevin Ashby, Reporter, Stadio Olimpico: Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli has just finished entertaining the crowd as the trophy was carried on to the pitch by a Roman Goddess dressed all in gold. Two nights ago he sang at the Colosseum in a benefit concert to help victims of last month’s earthquake in Italy. | ||
 The match is under way. | ||
| 1 | Touré (Barcelona) commits a foul after challenging Anderson (Man. United). | |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) delivers the free-kick on target. |  |
| 2 | Park (Man. United) misses the target. | |
| 2 | Víctor Valdés (Barcelona) makes a save. United get a free-kick 30 metres from goal in the first minute. Cristiano Ronaldo does not disappoint as his effort is spilled by Víctor Valdés, but Gerard Piqué is on hand to clear from the onrushing United forwards. | |
| 2 | Giggs (Man. United) takes the corner. | |
| 2 | Rooney (Man. United) misses the target. | |
| 6 | United have settled the better with Ronaldo looking up for this game. Barcelona's front three are already switching positions as they look to get into the game. | |
| 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) misses the target. Ronaldo goes for goal from even further out this time, at least 40 metres, but his power is not matched by accuracy. | |
| 8 | Henry (Barcelona) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Carrick (Man. United). | |
| 9 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) misses the target. Ronaldo's in the thick of it again, receiving the ball on the edge of the area and firing just wide of the far post. Worrying times for Pep Guardiola. | |
| 10 |  (1 - 0) Eto'o (Barcelona) scores!Barcelona's first moment of note and they take the lead. Andrés Iniesta surges forwards and feeds Samuel Eto'o. The strikes cuts in from the right, clips the ball through the legs of Nemanja Vidić and fires under the body of of Edwin van der Sar. It's his fourth UEFA Champions League goal this season. | |
| 11 | Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) delivers the corner. | |
| 14 | Giggs (Man. United) is flagged for offside. | |
| 15 | A great opening 15 minutes to the final, with Cristiano Ronaldo having three efforts on goal before Samuel Eto'o broke the deadlock. The Cameroonian also found the net when Barcelona defeated Arsenal in the 2006 final - only Real Madrid's Raúl González has scored in two finals in the UEFA Champions League era. | |
| 16 | Piqué (Barcelona) fouls. | |
| 16 |  Piqué (Barcelona) is cautioned by the referee.The first booking of the game as Gerard Piqué brings down Cristiano Ronaldo on the counterattack. | |
| 17 | Giggs (Man. United) delivers the free-kick wide. Ryan Giggs cannot keep the resulting free-kick down and his strikes flies over the bar from 20 metres. | |
| 19 | Messi (Barcelona) misses the target. Lionel Messi has his first say in the contest. United do not close him down and his ferocious drive is just over from the edge of the area. | |
| 20 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) misses the target. Ronaldo is quick to respond to Messi in the battle between the two top players in the world. His raking effort misses the far post, though. | |
| 22 | Giggs (Man. United) takes the corner. | |
| 23 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) misses the target. Cristiano Ronaldo is shooting at every opportunity but as yet has not managed to catch one right in open play. | |
| 24 | Evra (Man. United) commits a foul after challenging Eto'o (Barcelona). | |
| 26 | Anderson (Man. United) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Iniesta (Barcelona). | |
| 27 | Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) delivers the free-kick wide. Another free-kick that does not miss the target by much, Xavi Hernández curling one wide of the upright from 28 metres. | |
| 28 | Carrick (Man. United) fouls. | |
| 30 | United are struggling to contain Barcelona's rat-a-tat passing, meaning the holders' midfield three are doing plenty of chasing. 'Olé, Olé, Football Club Barcelona' rings out from the Curva Sud. | |
| 33 | With a third of the game played, United have had eight shots – six of them by Cristiano Ronaldo – to Barça’s three but the crucial statistic reads 1-0 to the Spanish champions. Distances covered are similar: 33505 metres by Barcelona players; 32386 by those in white. | |
| 35 | Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) delivers the corner. | |
| 35 | Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) takes the corner. | |
| 37 | Iniesta (Barcelona) has a shot blocked. | |
| 37 | Barcelona force a couple of corners with Carles Puyol becoming influential with a few bursts down the right flank but United are too strong in the air to be troubled by either set-piece. | |
| 40 | At the moment, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only threat for United. Ji-Sung Park and Wayne Rooney are struggling to make an impact. | |
| 40 | Rooney (Man. United) is adjudged to be in an offside position. | |
| 43 | Ryan Giggs has moved to the left-hand side with Wayne Rooney pushed further forwards as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to tinker with his team before the break. | |
| 45+1 | Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés looks to be struggling with a thigh problem, suffered early in the game when he raced from goal to deny Ji-Sung Park near the corner of his area. The physios will have to look at that at half-time, although there's no sign of his deputy José Pinto warming up. | |
 The referee blows for half-time. | ||
| The half-time whistle blows after a fascinating first half and it is the Spanish side leading thanks to Samuel Eto'o's tenth-minute goal. Josep Guardiola's side were slow starters but they made no mistake with their first chance of the game. United have been relying on Cristiano Ronaldo for most of their efforts but since his early free-kick forced Víctor Valdés into a save, the Portuguese has failaed to test the goalkeeper with four efforts. Nevertheless, neither coach will be completely satisfied at the interval and there will be plenty to discuss in the dressing rooms. | ||
| Unsurprisingly, Xavi Hernández made the most successful passes in the first half, 34 of his 37 passes have found their man. The Spanish international has also covered more ground than any other player, 5742m, followed by Michael Carrick on 5332m – much of them chasing the Barcelona No6. | ||
 The second half begins. | ||
| 46 |  Tévez (in) - Anderson (out) (Man. United)United have wasted no time in looking to shake things up at the start of the second half. Carlos Tévez comes on in place of Anderson and will take his place in the front trident, Ji-Sung Park dropping back into the midfield three one suspects. | |
| 48 | Henry (Barcelona) has an effort on goal. | |
| 48 | Van der Sar (Man. United) makes a save. Barcelona create a similar chance to the one they opened the scoring from as Thierry Henry was released down the left flank and left Rio Ferdinand sprawling in the area, only for Edwin van der Sar to save from the French striker. | |
| 50 | Messi (Barcelona) is flagged for offside. | |
| 51 | Tévez (Man. United) commits a foul after challenging Iniesta (Barcelona). | |
| 51 | United may have made the substitution but it is Barcelona doing most of the attacking early in the second half. They are benefiting from the greater space in the midfield and United need to ride this storm. | |
| 53 | Xavi Hernández (Barcelona) hits the post on free-kick. Andrés Iniesta has looked a class apart at the start of this half and he wins a free-kick that almost provides the second goal. The strike from Xavi Hernández bends around the wall and strikes the foot of the post. | |
| 57 | O'Shea (Man. United) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Henry (Barcelona). | |
| 57 | United dominated the opening stages of the first half only to be opened up on the counterattack. The Catalans have started really well this half but must be worried that history could repeat itself, Cristiano Ronaldo's cross just missing two United players in front of goal. | |
| 58 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) is adjudged to be in an offside position. | |
| 59 | Busquets (Barcelona) fouls. | |
| 59 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) is flagged for offside. | |
| 60 | Paul Scholes, who scored the winning goal when these sides met in last season's semi-final, has been sent out to warm up along with Dimitar Berbatov and Jonny Evans. Too many United players are on the periphery at the moment as they cannot get hold of the ball. Josep Guardiola will be delighted with what he's watching - although not as delighted as he would have been had Xavi Hernández's free-kick not struck the post. | |
| 61 | Henry (Barcelona) commits a foul after challenging Ferdinand (Man. United). | |
| 63 | Giggs (Man. United) delivers the corner. | |
| 63 | Josep Guardiola has spent much of the second half prowling the huge technical area in front of his dugout, although it is assistant Mike Phelan and not Sir Alex Ferguson who is out urging the United players on. The English champions look to be missing the leggy influence of the suspended Darren Fletcher but are slowly putting together a period of possession. | |
| 66 | Henry (Barcelona) has an effort on goal. | |
| 66 | Van der Sar (Man. United) makes a save. Thierry Henry twists and turns on the left but his low near-post shot was never going to beat Edwin van der Sar. | |
| 66 | Eto'o (Barcelona) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Carrick (Man. United). | |
| 66 | Berbatov (in) - Park (out) (Man. United) Sir Alex Ferguson's first change did not have the desired effect and the United manager will be hoping his second, Dimitar Berbatov for Ji-Sung Park, will have more of an impact. | |
| 67 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) fouls. | |
| 69 | Giggs (Man. United) takes the corner. | |
| 69 | United are basically playing with four up front now despite the fact there are 20 minutes remaining. It should make for a remarkably open finish to this contest. | |
| 70 | (2 - 0) Messi (Barcelona) scores! Lionel Messi had not found the net in ten games against English opponents in the competition and that was a statistic that was never going to last. The little magician peels to the back post and Xavi Hernández picks out his only target with a curling cross, the Argentinian heading back across goal and over Edwin van der Sar. | |
| 71 | Incredible scenes in the Barcelona end, the fans rising to acclaim Lionel Messi after the Argentinian nodded them into a 2-0 lead. Only seconds before they had been united in singing his name in recognition of the increasing influence he's having on the game. | |
| 72 | Keita (in) - Henry (out) (Barcelona) Josep Guardiola quickly looks to stabilise after the second goal with Seydou Keita adding to their numbers in midfield. | |
| 72 | Giggs (Man. United) has a shot blocked. | |
| 72 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) has an effort on goal. | |
| 72 | Víctor Valdés (Barcelona) makes a save. What a chance for United as a cross is scuffed by Ryan Giggs with the goal at his mercy and then Cristiano Ronaldo is denied by Víctor Valdés. | |
| 72 | Giggs (Man. United) delivers the corner. | |
| 72 | Berbatov (Man. United) misses the target. | |
| 74 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) commits a foul after challenging Puyol (Barcelona). | |
| 74 | Puyol (Barcelona) has an effort on goal. | |
| 74 | Van der Sar (Man. United) makes a save. Carles Puyol rises highest but can only head a presentable chance straight at Edwin van der Sar. | |
| 75 | Scholes (in) - Giggs (out) (Man. United) The last throw of the dice from Sir Alex Ferguson as the midfield goal threat of Paul Scholes comes on for Ryan Giggs. | |
| 78 | Eto'o (Barcelona) is adjudged to be in an offside position. | |
| 78 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Puyol (Barcelona). | |
| 78 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man. United) is shown a yellow card. Cristiano Ronaldo has become increasingly frustrated in this half and he gets booked for fouling Carles Puyol as he shepherds a ball out of play. | |
| 80 | Iniesta (Barcelona) has an effort on goal. | |
| 80 | Van der Sar (Man. United) makes a save. The outstanding Andrés Iniesta cuts in from the left but his curled near-post strike is saved above his head by Edwin van der Sar. | |
| 80 | Scholes (Man. United) is booked. The combative Paul Scholes is quickly into the fray but is booked for a hard tackle as Barcelona look to break again. | |
| 83 | Barcelona are looking extremely confident now and their makeshift defence has stood up to United's attack much better than many expected. | |
| 83 | Evra (Man. United) fouls. | |
| 85 | Puyol (Barcelona) has an effort on goal. | |
| 85 | Van der Sar (Man. United) makes a save. Barcelona are stroking the ball around nonchalently now and they almost work a third goal as Carles Puyol storms into the area but cannot clip his finish over Edwin van der Sar. | |
| 85 | Rooney (Man. United) is flagged for offside. | |
| 86 | Rooney (Man. United) takes the corner. | |
| 87 | Rooney (Man. United) delivers the corner. | |
| 87 | Berbatov (Man. United) misses the target. Dimitar Berbatov has a free header from that corner but can only head over. Could the chance to haul United back into the game just have gone? | |
| 89 | The Barcelona fans are chanting their team's name now as they close in on another European title. There will be few who would argue they do not deserve it as the Catalan faithful start waving their scarves about their heads. | |
| 90 | Three minutes will be added on and surely that will not be enough for United. | |
| 90 | Eto'o (Barcelona) commits a foul after challenging Vidić (Man. United). | |
| 90+1 | Iniesta (Barcelona) takes the corner. | |
| 90+2 | Pedro Rodríguez (in) - Iniesta (out) (Barcelona) Josep Guardiola looks to eat up some time as the superb Andrés Iniesta is replaced by Pedro Rodríguez. | |
| 90+3 | Vidić (Man. United) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Messi (Barcelona). | |
| 90+3 | Vidić (Man. United) is cautioned by the referee. Nemanja Vidić brings down Lionel Messi to become the fourth player booked on the night. | |
 The final whistle is blown.United's 25-game unbeaten run in the competition is over and they become the fourth team since the UEFA Champions League came into existence to reach the final as they looked to retain their trophy only to fall at the final hurdle. Samuel Eto'o's early goal gave Barcelona the belief and, as United threw on more attacking players after the interval, the Spanish side kept possession better and eventually added the second goal through their talisman Lionel Messi. The triumph is the third by Barcelona in Europe's premier club competition and ends a remarkable season in which they also completed the double domestically. | ||
| The Barcelona players are clearly delighted as they receive their winners' medals from UEFA President Michel Platini and gather round the UEFA Champions League trophy. Carles Puyol eventually steps forward and raises the trophy to a ticker-tape reception. It is a fitting tribute to a side who have dazzled this season on all fronts, scoring 104 league goals and 32 in 13 matches from the group stage onwards in this competition. |
