Champions League Final 2009: FC Barcelona vs ManUtd: Champions of Europe!

[Bilal Khan]

I just watched this game again.. and i think United played really well specially in the first half!
but '11 barca is much stronger then 09 barca except for Eto'o > Villa and Henry > Pedro
rest our team is better and united are weaker.. I think we will win it again

[Peerd]

I just watched this game again.. and i think United played really well specially in the first half!
but '11 barca is much stronger then 09 barca except for Eto'o > Villa and Henry > Pedro
rest our team is better and united are weaker.. I think we will win it again

Pedro>Henry

[Corb]

I just watched this game again.. and i think United played really well specially in the first half!
but '11 barca is much stronger then 09 barca except for Eto'o > Villa and Henry > Pedro
rest our team is better and united are weaker.. I think we will win it again

And Henry and Iniesta played half injured.

[Panna]

I agree with you this Barca is better as Barca 2009,but ManU was only the first 15 minutes dangerous,BUT the ManU at this moment is better as the 2009 ManU.

[oneswiftmotion]

This match was sublime. Fluidity did not cease. I hope we play as beautifully or more beautiful than this match! We'll have Dani and Abidal (hopefully) and a 100% Iniesta, not to mention the rest of the gang.

[Birdy]

Watching the final again i noticed 3 main things:

1) How bad we started that game..
Being nervous, not playing as we were used to, susceptible to easy mistakes, not keeping the ball much.. United got a fresh start, trying to squizze us and really idk what would have happened if united had scored in those first minutes before eto'o goal..

2) Eto'o goal against the run of play seemed to unlock us and remove the anxiety, but we really start to dominate from the beginning of the second half..
What happened then?
Ferguson made a suicidal decision removing Anderson (a CM) and introducing Tevez, turning to a strange 4-2-4, leaving huge gaps in the md, which of course Xavi and iniesta exploited..
Maybe, he got mad too early being one goal down, or he underestimated the fact that barcelona are (and were back then also) the best team to pass the ball around in the md waiting for the right time to hit..

3)Our performance was not so good that day overall..
possession stat confirmed the above, as we had only 53 % or 56 % , low concerning our average..


NOTE: That united was very different. Much more attacking (but same style, long balls to the flanks, quick change of play) and much more fearful, considering their dominance in 2008 also and their unbeaten run..
They played 4-3-3 back then, with Carrick,Giggs anderson very close to one another and rooney,park pushed to the touchlines..
Their plan A this season especially in Europe) is a 4-4-1-1, totally different(despite Carrick and Giggs presence as in 2009).. Rooney is dropping back to mark DM when not having the ball, while the right and left wingers (Valencia and Park probably) defend more than they attack.. Back then they were much more attacking and fascinating, now they are more efficient though..