2011 Champions League Final. Manchester United v Barcelona.

[sammymaguire]

R4L, this current Barcelona team will finish when Xavi is finished... In 5 years time when his current contract comes to an end. When he is 37. So hopefully United will get another crack at them before then. But your comments more or less sums it up, midfield hopelessly outplayed last night and SAF could do with another Roy Keane style combative midfield dynamo. Who that man is in world football at the moment....??

[ross4life]

R4L, this current Barcelona team will finish when Xavi is finished... In 5 years time when his current contract comes to an end. When he is 37. So hopefully United will get another crack at them before then. But your comments more or less sums it up, midfield hopelessly outplayed last night and SAF could do with another Roy Keane style combative midfield dynamo. Who that man is in world football at the moment....??

Remains to been seen what happens when Xavi is done it's also Mourinho theory Barca won't be as good when he's done.

Keane style midfielder is a rare breed these days though United have a couple of young guys coming through with a similar style.

[Canalman]

Lads, did ITV come out with the usual guff that the "whole of the country " was behind Utd.? Doubt if even half of Greater Manchester wanted them to win.

Seriously humbling watching Barcelona play. Great stuff.

[Rossie11]

Remains to been seen what happens when Xavi is done it's also Mourinho theory Barca won't be as good when he's done

Xavi could call time on his international career shortly allowing him to continue playing for Barca for another 4-5 years.
For sure he is the lynchpin of the current team but they will hope to have a ready made replacement when he does decide to hang up his boots.
Currently Barca reserves and all the teams below them are coached by former Barca players, Luis Enrique, Oscar, Sergi etc.
All the teams are been coached to play the same way so it allows the players to move up the ranks seemlessly.
Xavi will go straight into coaching when he finishes up playing.

The next 2 big names are the brothers Thiago 20 and Rafinha 16. Sons of Brazilian WC winner Mazinho.
Barca fans have huge hopes for both of them.
As much as they would like to get Fabergas back, they are not bothered if they have to pay crazy money when so much talent is coming up the line.

[Dinny Breen]

The next 2 big names are the brothers Thiago 20 and Rafinha 16. Sons of Brazilian WC winner Mazinho.

As Donnolly's Hollow would say

An ounce of breedin' is worth a tonne of feedin'

[AQMP]

Remains to been seen what happens when Xavi is done it's also Mourinho theory Barca won't be as good when he's done

Xavi could call time on his international career shortly allowing him to continue playing for Barca for another 4-5 years.
For sure he is the lynchpin of the current team but they will hope to have a ready made replacement when he does decide to hang up his boots.
Currently Barca reserves and all the teams below them are coached by former Barca players, Luis Enrique, Oscar, Sergi etc.
All the teams are been coached to play the same way so it allows the players to move up the ranks seemlessly.
Xavi will go straight into coaching when he finishes up playing.

The next 2 big names are the brothers Thiago 20 and Rafinha 16. Sons of Brazilian WC winner Mazinho.
Barca fans have huge hopes for both of them.
As much as they would like to get Fabergas back, they are not bothered if they have to pay crazy money when so much talent is coming up the line.

Agree about Xavi.  According to Wikipedia, Xavier Hernandez i Creus (to give him his full title) was born on 25 Jan 1980.  The type of player he is, I think he could easily play at the top level until he's 34/35 and maybe beyond if he jacks in Spain.

[laoislad]

Probably the most one sided Champions League final since the first half of the 2005 Final.
The second half of the 2005 Final was the last time I enjoyed a second half of Champions League final as much as I did on Saturday night.

[ross4life]

Remains to been seen what happens when Xavi is done it's also Mourinho theory Barca won't be as good when he's done

Xavi could call time on his international career shortly allowing him to continue playing for Barca for another 4-5 years.
For sure he is the lynchpin of the current team but they will hope to have a ready made replacement when he does decide to hang up his boots.
Currently Barca reserves and all the teams below them are coached by former Barca players, Luis Enrique, Oscar, Sergi etc.
All the teams are been coached to play the same way so it allows the players to move up the ranks seemlessly.
Xavi will go straight into coaching when he finishes up playing.

The next 2 big names are the brothers Thiago 20 and Rafinha 16. Sons of Brazilian WC winner Mazinho.
Barca fans have huge hopes for both of them.
As much as they would like to get Fabergas back, they are not bothered if they have to pay crazy money when so much talent is coming up the line.

Have heard alot about those guys but they may have to ply their trade elsewhere as the current Barca team are set for 3/4 season at least. i wonder what the Barca fans make of Arsenal nicking their youth players? certainly something going on between the two & was no surprise to see Barcelona training at Arsenal during the week.

[Bingo]

Remains to been seen what happens when Xavi is done it's also Mourinho theory Barca won't be as good when he's done

Xavi could call time on his international career shortly allowing him to continue playing for Barca for another 4-5 years.
For sure he is the lynchpin of the current team but they will hope to have a ready made replacement when he does decide to hang up his boots.
Currently Barca reserves and all the teams below them are coached by former Barca players, Luis Enrique, Oscar, Sergi etc.
All the teams are been coached to play the same way so it allows the players to move up the ranks seemlessly.
Xavi will go straight into coaching when he finishes up playing.

The next 2 big names are the brothers Thiago 20 and Rafinha 16. Sons of Brazilian WC winner Mazinho.
Barca fans have huge hopes for both of them.
As much as they would like to get Fabergas back, they are not bothered if they have to pay crazy money when so much talent is coming up the line.

Have heard alot about those guys but they may have to ply their trade elsewhere as the current Barca team are set for 3/4 season at least. i wonder what the Barca fans make of Arsenal nicking their youth players? certainly something going on between the two & was no surprise to see Barcelona training at Arsenal during the week.

I doubt they are too bothered at the minute with the way they are currently playing and it woudl appear the best players are been retained and will soon be onboard as well.

[Carmen Stateside]

Never got to see the game live, so recorded it just in case.  Watched most of it last night and i have to say enjoyed every minute of it.  United were simply out of there depth. 
And i see they are still obsessed with Liverpool,


Sad really, maybe the t-shirt should have looked like this

[The Worker]

Never got to see the game live, so recorded it just in case.  Watched most of it last night and i have to say enjoyed every minute of it.  United were simply out of there depth. 
And i see they are still obsessed with Liverpool,


Sad really, maybe the t-shirt should have looked like this

Even Park is gesturing 5 times! 

[Blowitupref]

I don't know Liverpool,United are both obsessed however at least United are top of the pile in England now while Liverpool the once great football club have to watch & live off past glories.

[Carmen Stateside]

I don't know Liverpool,United are both obsessed however at least United are top of the pile in England now while Liverpool the once great football club have to watch & live off past glories.

[ross4life]

I don't know Liverpool,United are both obsessed however at least United are top of the pile in England now while Liverpool the once great football club have to watch & live off past glories.

from 7 to 19 my god that's a alot watching for Liverpool fans 

[Applesisapples]

Does the Liverpool,Chelsea & Man City fans think their clubs would have done any better tonight?

No.

On that performance it would have been about 9-0 against Chelsea.  MU were totally outplayed by a much better team.  No shame.  How many points would Barca win the EPL by??  I agree with a lot of posters, this was a much more one sided game than 2009.  Apart from the first 10 mins and the few seconds for the goal, Utd weren't in the game.  There was a poignant shot in the slo-mo reply of Villa's goal where you could see Hernandez up the pitch with his hands on his hips wondering what that white round thing was.  Thought Rooney was Utd's best, Hernandez, Giggs, Valencia mostly anonymous.

I can imagine Chelsea would have more bite in the middle of the park, the roles of Valencia,PJS was very disappointing last night both should have been helping out more in midfield & Carrick had the same display as 09 e.g his head must still be spinning? then your left with a 37 year old trying to cope with the xavi iniesta controling midfield  no doubt a fully fit Fletcher would have added more bite.

Evra was the weak link at the back last night caught out of position on numerous occasions & was a shame all three goals came from United errors but they deserved at least 3 goals anyways.

Hernandez was a isolated/frustrated figure last night in hindsight Fergie should have started with another man in midfield & used him as a impact sub.Fair play to Rooney he worked his socks off, Fabio had a decent game & Vidic played well.

After last night United will pick themselves up dust themselves down & tip their hats to Barca but i can't help feeling even if he dies trying Fergie won't retire until he gets the better of this current Barcelona side.

He'll be dead long before that.