Manchester United 1 FC Barcelona 0
Tuesday, 29 April 08, 10:24 PM · Comments (68)
It wasn't to be for Barça tonight. Despite having more possession and more shots in both legs we were unable to score a goal in 180 minutes. Manchester United go on to the final in Moscow thanks to a cracking early goal from Paul Scholes. Barça are left to lick their wounds and to contemplate on where it all went wrong in what will almost definitely be the end of the Frank Rijkaard era.
For the first fourteen minutes Barça dictated the pace of the game. Messi had one good run in the first minute which was only stopped by a Scholes foul on the edge of the penalty area, Edwin Van Der Sar's kicking again looked questionable and in the seventh minute Eto'o took advantage of a poor kick but could not find anyone with his cross. Cristiano Ronaldo had hardly been seen the ball and when he did he had lost in quickly. In the fourteenth minute Ronaldo got robbed again in possession by Zambrotta, but the Italian defender made the mistake of giving the ball straight to Paul Scholes who hit a tremendous shot from 25 yards past Valdés into the top corner.
Barça then spent the next twenty minutes looking nervous with Messi looking like the only player capable of salvaging something. Every time Patrice Evra went forward Barça looked to find Messi to attack the space left by United's left back. In the 19th minute, Messi made a fantastic run from his own half which ended with a shot that forced Van Der Sar into a diving save.
However, this was Barça's worst spell of the match and we gave the ball away too many times in dangerous positions. In the 29th minute Toure lost the ball and Tevez put in a dangerous cross that Valdés only managed to palm away towards Ronaldo who headed the ball back dangerously and Puyol had to clear bravely, clashing heads with Milito in the process. In the last ten minutes of the half Barça began to look more dangerous, Deco had a couple of shots off target, and in the 37th minute Van Der Sar dropped Messi's cross but Evra reracted quickly to stop Eto'o from pouncing. Nani had a heaader wide at the other end but the last chance of the half went to Milito who failed to get sufficient contact onto Xavi's free kick and his header went wide.
The second half started promisingly but it was the same story of Barça dominating without creating real danger. United had a couple of chances near the hour, first Tevez played a neat one-two with Ronaldo and forced a good save from Valdés, and then Nani had a good run turning Abidal before wasting his shot. As the clock ticked by the game began to resemble more and more the first leg at Camp Nou as United renounced their attack to sit back and defend. Henry and Bojan came on but both were unable to make an impact. Henry did have a couple of half hearted efforts but his attitude had me screaming at the TV for not the first time this season. When is he going to realise that when he is the nearest player to the ball he needs to move up a gear?
It was nice to see how worried United looked as Barça pinned them back in their own half, but it was only really a fear of Leo Messi who had a great game but was let down by his team mates. For all the talk of Cristiano Ronaldo being the best in the world, for me Messi was better in both games. Unfortunately Ronaldo is the one who will be playing in Moscow and he was supported today by excellent performances by Tevez and Ferdinand. For Barça Puyol gave a typical captain's performance at the back while the midfield generally dominated the game. In the end it was down to one moment of inspiration from Scholes that was the difference between the teams.
Man Utd: Van der Sar; Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra (m92 Sylvestre); Nani (m77 Giggs), Carrick, Scholes (m77 Fletcher), Park; Ronaldo, Tévez.
Barça: Valdés 5.5; Zambrotta 6, Puyol 7, Milito 6, Abidal 5; Xavi 6.5, Toure 6.5 (Gudjohnsen m88, --), Deco 6; Messi 8.5, Eto'o 5.5 (Bojan m71, 5.5), Iniesta 6.5 (Henry m60, 5).
Goals: m14 Scholes 1-0,
Yellow Cards: m52 Zambrotta, m54 Deco, m63 Carrick, m68 Ronaldo, m70 Toure.
Attendance: 75,061
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this game almost killed me. i was so nervous and then so furious most the 2nd half. such an inability to score goals. its mindboggling. but i was disgusting with united in general. their tactics, time wasting, not even trying to win with style. i never expected to go through, but i expected to feel we lost to a better team (which they have shown overall this year). but tonight i honestly cannot say we did lose to a superior team. we lost to a superior defense who stopped a team who has forgotten to score goals.
abidal was a total and complete joke. i dont know why he is playing pro football. lets not even get into henry. and what was up with etoo? i expected more from him.
the end of our terrible season. in a way im so damn happy its over. im sick of this pathetic excuse for a blaugrana team.
and being a supporter of frank, i cant see him there next year, he just seems to have lost it. no matter who coaches next year i just hope abidal and henry are shown the door. i wanted to break my tv at times watching those two.
Zambrotta played well, I thought. Except for that mistake. Why he didn't pass the ball to Toure or Puyol is something I can't understand.
Typical English football from United. One scorcher from Scholes. They go through, but I'd say that Barca were way more courageous with their attacking football. It's the death of attacking football.
Messi again showed that he is WAY better than Ronaldo. The Portugal man gave a very average performance.
All in all, congrats to wily old Sir Alex Ferguson for masterminding the end of Barca 2007-08 and there is nothing left anymore, except a win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. But even that wouldn't easen the pain that we have to live with.
Changes, changes, changes. End of a cycle. Definitely, Frank Rijkaard's era comes to an end. Thank you for everything Frank. You are second best after Johann Cruyff. We will never forget you. And Ronaldinho.
But after all the reasons you take out to analyse this season, it is FOOTBALL that got the better of Barcelona before we could get the better of it. Injuries (especially the ones to Messi who could have made all the difference as he showed today), BAD LUCK (Horrendously unbelievable on so many occasions), players off form, undeserved defeats.
Our season was the dark side of football. The ugly head of the beautiful game.
Jose Mourinho has said that he would like to take over at the club. I only hope the club consider many candidates in this case. Not just blindly give the job to Mourinho.
Forca Barca. Always.
Blaugranaboy, respect man. These 2 were really cruel to all of us, with such disgusting performance, along with Etoo. No more words to say, I just want to see him go out tommorow!!! I am so frustrated!!!
Bring Mourinho, now!
Totally agree with u, so.... amen @blaugranaboy.
Only thing ill add is that in this summer I expect a full renovation, including the president (Laporta has been terrible this past years). Looking forward to elections and having Sandro Rosell in charge.
But this wasn't more worse than losing the title last season. NOTHING is worse than that.
Thanks for the congrats guys but I have to say that in Lionel Messi you have a future great of world football who will surely lead you to many more Champions league finals. He is one of the greatest players to have graced Old Trafford in my time.
I personally think that Ronaldo has more ability and greater all round strengths to his game but he has far less influence than the Argentine. Don't forget the little man was only half fit as well. The trouble with your Barca team today is that they were perhaps a bit too over-reliant on MEssi. He was the focal point for everything there was no Plan B. Great night for us and well done the Barca fans who were brilliant all night.
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manchester fans-----good luck in the finals, the best team deserves to be in the finals!
Good game Barca.. Still love ya but Man Utd #1
glory glory!