The moment we’ve all been waiting for is upon us. I’m so excited I’m having trouble being coherent, so I’m just going to lay out the lineups and let you go to town.
Barcelona: Valdes Alves Pique Mascherano Abidal Xavi Busquets Iniesta Pedro Messi Villa
Bench: Oier, Adriano, Puyol, Keita, Thiago, Afellay, Bojan
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Fabio, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez
Bench: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Smalling, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Owen
Let me just say it now: I’ll be intently watching the game, so get in early before the game starts, and don’t give me any nonsense as I’ll just pull out the ban-hammer and knock you right out of the park (like Alves taking a free kick).
Ha ha, love your comment. Enjoy the game!
It’s short, but Ramzi’s comment is worth reposting:
“Good move Pep. We need a Rooney hunter between defense and midfield while keep having two players at the back. This is the best way to do it. Beside, Puyol had injury problems.”
sMasch is also a defensive midfielder and so he has an additional skill set that helps in marking Rooney. Not to mention he must have done that plenty of time with Liverpool.
I dunno kari, we may well be grasping at straws u knw.
Probably, but methinks Pep knows best. IPWT after all.
The English media are so embarrassing themselves, going so happy over sMasch starting, saying that he is the team’s weakest link and that Rooney is going to get the better of him all evening…
The same English media that was in love with him while he was at Liverpool?
Yeah…
Well, they keep calling him the “Mad dog” and how he was sent off against MU for mouthing off the ref… I really want him to have the game of his life and prove those bastards wrong 🙂
They were creaming themselves when it was a sylvinho-yaya-pique-puyol backline and we know how that ended 😀
The decision strikes me as solely due to injury problems. I hate to say it but Puyol’s role in the team decreased dramatically this year, and I expect more of the same next season.
All the more reason to invest heavily at center back.
Admittedly, I think so too. I don’t know if people missed it, but Sport was reporting that Puyol would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery next week. That’s pretty darn serious. Also, Puyol hasn’t played any recent games (like Abidal has) and so he’s lacking match fitness. sMasch is the right decision but it’s sad that Puyol’s knee is so messed up he has to captain from the bench. 🙁
I think it must be bad. This isn’t a decision Pep would have taken lightly. On Sky they are saying they were commenting last night when watching the training that he wasn’t moving well. A lot now riding on Pique’s performance.
Good luck! I’m off for now.
I would have bet my life that Puyol would start. Now I’m nervous, and I wasn’t before.
IPWT
Tell me about it. I was perfectly fine(well compared to the past few weeks) and now i feel like crap. My God I hope it doesn’t backfire on us.
Good luck everyone, hope you enjoy the match wherever you are.
In Pep We Trust!
COME ON BARCA!
Anyone watching the Fox pregame show? It is embarrassing to say the least.
Nope. What are they saying?
I’ve got Craig Forest and he’s…meh. Probably not as bas as FSC’s though.
Just had a nice bit where they explained the rules of “soccer” in comparison with the rules from “football”.
You poor souls.
Even better – the ex players who typically do the pregame were explaining Rooney’s updated role; i.e. playing deeper, tracking back to win balls, being more of a ‘false nine.’ Response from the NFL host: ‘So you guys are saying Rooney and Messi play complete opposite styles.’
Painful.
Yeah, it’s pretty bad…
Horrible. I mean, I’m not surprised. But, god it’s bad.
If puyol were fit to play he would be on the pitch. No one needs to tell pep how much he means. But Rooney and hernandez united are playing one of the most mobile striker tandems in the world.
Playing puyol with a bad knee could be very damaging against Rooney and chicharito especially with chi adorned speed. Man u will be dangerous on the counter. And masch excels at that part of defense.
NO PUYOL WTF
I’m sooooo nervous now.
Beer, check. Xavi shirt, check. Adrenalin rush like a dancer on a highwire? CHECK!
I’m right there with you. Official beer of the champions league for the special occasion.
YEAH. I have a Xavi shirt too!
“Gentlemen, if you lose today you will continue to be the best in the world – but if you win today, you will be eternal.”
–Pep Guardiola before ’09 final
I would much rather get the broadcast from in the stands/on the pitch pre-match than have to listen to Adrian Chiles and Harry Redknapp. ITV, why do you not give me what I want?
No matter what Euler or Ramzi says, whos words always helps calm me down, it ain’t working this time. Puyol is a difference maker to this team.
Without him, it’s always shaky at the back.
Due to this, I think Busi will drop deeper than usual to assist sMasch and Pique. And this will again affect our build up and therefore not give Xavi and Iniesta an additional man in midfield. Really really disappointed. Hoepfully all this will change 2 hours later1!!!!
GOod Luck guys.
Love you all!!!
Best part of the Fox coverage so far… the geico juggling the football 🙂
Damn I’m shaking.
Gotta watch out for Javier “the little Pea” Hernandez, he the dangerman for ManU….
We got this.
We are the better team. I am just worried that we missed 2 100% chances to score.
Let’s crush them in the second half!
Yeah man, we gotta relax, find the second goal and bring on keita.
Man of the Match: Messi – He scored in the game when it mattered the most.
They just announced that as well in the stadium.
Sublime. We are all so fortunate to see this
I love us!
lol @ Scholes pretending to be Iniesta :))) (they exchanged shirts)
campione!campione! ole ole ole!!
Well, we played very well and defeated manu convincingly. so so happy right now. i shall get myself a drink now.
Awesome. We were awesome. And thanks to Manchester United for a good game!
and Messi is happy like a little kid :)))
Man, this is so amazing.
2006, 2009, 2011. Eternal. The best team of all time.
Scholes asked for Iniesta’s shirt! Soooo cute!
I gotta say they have to take this host from fox off soccer. He just said people call us “the best team money could buy, but now we are just the best team”
What does he think we are E.E
“Money could buy”???? Does he even know that 7 of the starting players are from the cantera?
You caught that too. Yeah FSC was really bad. If we could just combine the HD from Fox with Ray Hudson we’d be fine.
Now we can hear what Messi has to say! 🙂
This is my dream team. Incomparable. Never duplicated. Never even imitated.
Congratulations to the team and to us all <3 We did it!
Somebody pinch me :O We completely owned this game, it was like 2009 on steroids!
Chicharito looks p*ssed off. 😛
Absolutely awesome game. No shame in placing second against this brilliant Barcelona.
Campions!!!
Yeah, I’ll take a double.
Hope this doesn’t mean Pep goes!
VISCAA!!!!
LOL Dani smooching the cup!
and Dani made up with the cup 🙂
glorious moments
abi to lift the trophy
that was *made out*
ABIIIIIIII !!!!! with the trophy!
Abi with the aqrmband :”DDDD
ABIDAL! Epic! 😀
Eeh. the trophy is too close to the railing. Hope no one does a Ramos..
My thoughts exactly VJ!
please don’t drop the trophy guys 😈
🙂
Rooney applauding the winners through tears.. ahhh
So happy. 😀
Loved Messi celebrating Villa’s goal!!
BARCA!!! Y SIN EL CAPITAN!!!
I was begging god for Villa to step up and score as he hit that…and totally redeemed himself. Hopefully will be cornerstone of the line-up for a long time.
Busquets redeemed himself too. Clutch touch passing.
Could Fox Soccer announcers suck more? Wynalda must be killed.
http://www.as.com/futbol/articulo/manchester-united-marca-claro-fuera/20110528dasdasftb_23/Tes
AS complaining about the offside goal!
We are THE VERY BEST TEAM EVER. MOTHERF*CKIN’ PERIOD. In the history books, with our named engraved in the annals of time itself.
I.have.nothing.to.say! ’cause I cant ask for more.
Well, that’s a first. 😉
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!
I second Ramzi and say I can’t ask for for more either!
Kari I know you say the word is overused but this was EPIC!
And Abi lifting the cup…oh my tears to my eyes
I think Dani and Adriano have adopted Thiago, LOL!
i feel like gloatig a bit…yesterday i posted that if barca wi ad messi scores this would be the headlie o espn.com
http://espn.go.com/
SPRINKLERS!!!!
SPRINKLERS FC!!!
We’re having fun!!
Leeeeeeees grandeees equipesssssssz, the chaaaaaaaaampions!!!!!
Watching Barca is like meeting the most beautuful girl on the beach, bein beckoned over and tasting the most beautiful things from such an encounter….sometimes fairy tales do come true.
Sprinklers! But we ain’t bovvered! I love this team. <3
And I love how much they love each other.
we did it.
Pique kicking and shoving the pasillo 😛
Is Pique taking the net home with him??
What a team. I can’t even tell you what my favorite moment about the match is: the passing, the goals, Puyol coming in, Dani making out with the trophy, Abidal lifting the trophy as captain…What a team.
I am sure Pep won’t get a single bit of the credit that he so richly deserves. He asked the team and the fans to believe in him, and he brought us to the promised land. Hats off to you, Pep. You truly are el puto jefe, el puto amo.
Very good final after having to live through the horrible semis. Barca could have scored another though if they hadn’t relaxed after the 2nd.
We did score a third!
OMMAGAD WHAT A TEAM
THE BEST OF THE BEST
Wonderful. Just beautiful, Abidal lifting the trophy. Wow.
Everyone was immense today, from Valdes’ punches to Pique’s clearances, Mascherano being a roadblock to Man Utd whenever they went forward, Busquets’ incredible play all over the pitch, Iniesta and Xavi orchestrating everything, Villa and Pedro’s movement, Alves and Abidal’s buildup play and interventions, Messi being extraordinary everywhere, making himself available as an outlet whenever it was needed, brilliant match.
I’m SO happy right now! These moments are really priceless. Cules of the world, congratulations!
CHAAAAAMMMMPIOOOONNNNNNNNNNS!
I love this team, Pep, the players, tikitaka, everything. I love you Barca and you are the best team of my generation. I am privileged to have watched you. All members of BFB are amazing. Enjoy yourselves today.
This is bliss 🙂 Can you imagine what the players are feeling?
Valdes – Immense. Spain, give him a cap. And I give him my vote for future captain of Barca.
Abidal – A massive, massive win. For football and humanity. Operation what? Valencia who? The KING prevails over all!
Alves – give him a contract until 2100, he’ll still be running Park off the park;
Masche – is not getting sold in the summer. and probably ever. even goal.com has to give up now;
Pique – a weak season? can’t make it without Puyi holding his hand? Right back at ya! Piquenbauer makes a grand comeback;
Busquets – a great metal win after those awful allegations. way to show us they don’t weight on his mind;
Iniesta – did his daughter proud. made history in the process;
Xavi – played against great midfielders of yore, his old role models. won hands down;
Messi – Pichichi is for mortals. Messi is not of this Earth;
Villa – what is this draught you speak of? showed up in a spectacular fashion for his first CL final;
Pedro – after all he’s achieved, some still see him as a weak link. not any longer, i should hope 🙂
Barca players often say they are nothing without the team. I beg to differ. They are amazingly talented, hard-working and likeable human beings. But this team makes them IMMORTAL.
10 for everyone, as promised 🙂
Well said!
All of it, but especially:
“Messi – Pichichi is for mortals. Messi is not of this Earth”
DOBLETE!!
Oh, almost forgot. PEP. IS. A. GENIUS
This is AWESOME, I can’t believe this game, it’s the most beautiful form of playing I’ve seen, thank you for having this place to share our love for Barça! Abi captain! wow
This comment wins!
Well it must be said. It really hurt Barcelona this season when we won the CDR; We had the pleasure of lifting that trophy in their faces and out of all the people that scored the winning goal, it was cristiano and in extra time.
Cules will have nightmares for years upon years of that game and expect prolonged hate coming from them.
We must sympathize for the Cules; after all there trophies they won in there golden age, they never managed to lift one in front of us, however, we have and it felt so damn good :).
Lol every team has trash for fans, dont worry about it. We came up even this year though!! They got the cdr andmpichichi, we only got la liga an the champio s league as consolation :(. Next year we’ll best them! :trollface:
So happy so drunk
ABIDAL LIFTING THE CUP IS JOSE TEARS MAKING