Salute The champions Of Europe

Crann na Beatha

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Insect Overlord

Can't argue with that! They were a different class tonight. Worthy champions.

It was hard watching it as a United fan though.

d22ontour

Yeah they were/are awesome but i think UEFA should investigate how a club can have so many world class attackers and do something about it to even the playing field.

Morzadec

comfortably the best team i've ever seen.

they were unlucky last year. it could've easily been 3 in a row. i wouldn't bet against them next year

hats off

starbelgrade

As good as Man United are, they were totally outclassed tonight by a far superior team. I've seen United been beaten like that before, but not for a long time... tonight they were left chasing shadows.

Barca's passing & movement is just mesmerising. They really are in a league of their own. I'm glad that tonight's match was won fair & square with none of the shenanigans of the so-called "El Classico" semi-final, because they are undisputedly the best team in Europe.

A salute to the champions, Barcelona.

Renn

Morzadec wrote: »

comfortably the best team i've ever seen.

they were unlucky last year. it could've easily been 3 in a row. i wouldn't bet against them next year

hats off

How were they unlucky last year?

bohsman

Renn wrote: »

How were they unlucky last year?

Volcanic ash cloud.

Renn

bohsman wrote: »

Volcanic ash cloud.

El Weirdo

They were brilliant. Not much more to say.

A different class.

QuinnC88

Only got back form work to see the second half....my god, what an unbelievable 45 minute display I witnessed!..Streets ahead of any team!

Say Your Number

They are up there as one of the best club sides of all time, don't think any Utd teams of the last 20 years would live with them.

Revolution9

Certainly the best football team I've seen. Worthy champions, and a great final.

stovelid

Long term prognosis: large cloud of supercilious smugness moving from Catalunya over seated areas in Irish pubs.

Large spike expected of mongos spotted all over Dublin wearing Barca colours.

Kojak

Very deserving champions - only for the ash cloud last year, they very well could have put 3 CL in-a-row.

Definatly strong favourites to win it again next year.

themont85

stovelid wrote: »

Long term prognosis: large cloud of supercilious smugness moving from Catalunya over seated areas in Irish pubs.

Large spike expected of mongos spotted all over Dublin wearing Barca colours.

The combination with an area of uber smugness emanating from LoI grounds may be just too much for our little Island.

Celebrate brilliance while you can guys, what a great team. They make quality players like Rooney and Ronaldo, ineffective and toy with great midfield opposition. Great managers in Fergie and Moriniho have been beaten badly by them more often than not.

Kingdom Bhoy

Barca simply outclassed Man U an awesome display.

IvySlayer

Congratulations Barcelona.

Morzadec

Renn wrote: »

How were they unlucky last year?

3rd Inter goal (Milito)in the first leg was offside which proved to be decisive.


Also Alves should have been given a penalty iirc

mike65

Is that it for the rest of Europe? The age profile of the Barca squad plus their ability to attract top talent if they need it would seem to suggest they are going to dominate the CL for the next 4/5 years. Seems the only thing that might stop them is if Pep leaves and they make an error in his replacement.

This is also bad news for whoever manages Chelsea in the forseeable future!

rednik

Fantastic performance and well done Barcelona. Looking at the line ups before the game I just could not see united win as much as I wanted them to. As has been mentioned they should have three in a row.

darragh16

They pass and they pass..............then they pass some more.

They keep passing, the you make a mistake and they score. Unbelievable!

Congrats, usually I'd be absolutely devastated by the result, but I have no complaints!

th3 s1aught3r

Turtyturd

Congrats to Barca...deserving champions and a pleasure to watch. As one sided a final as you are going to get.

Leiva

A game like last nights probably only comes around once every twenty or so years.

I truly believe that Barca have set the football standard for a decade or two to come.

They have been playing this sort of football for a couple of seasons but last night it came together in a fashion that was jaw dropping .
Not only in the attacking formation when they have the ball , but also when they don't have the ball , and how they pressure the opposition within seconds of loosing it to win it back.
It's a form of "I own the ball" football that really is a delight to watch .

Sitting here this morning I'm probably doing what other supporters of other clubs are and comparing my beloved Liverpool squad against the Barca one , and realising the massive difference in quality .
I'm also using them now as a benchmark for the squad rebuilding that is currently underway at LFC.
I'm sure this is true for most clubs out there when they realize the new standard that Barcelona FC have set .
I'm watching football now for over 25 years and never seen a team stamp their authority and new flavor in the way the did last night .

"Football" in every sense of the word is alive and well at Barcelona FC.

thorbarry

Not many teams make Manchester United look like Stoke. Long balllll

steelcityblues

Used to think the AC Milan of the early-mid 90s were the best club side of my lifetime (born 1982), but I think Barca deserve the mantle now.

Outclassing a very good Man United in two finals is something special.

ShamoBuc

That Barca team are seriously good and more importantly will go down as the greatest of all time I think as they will probably stay together for a good few more years - could watch them all day long. A bit too one sided a final as Utd simply are not in the same lge.
A lge of one at the moment.

nacho libre

I wonder will the same fate befall this current Barcelona team that happened the great Ac Milan team of the eighties? or is it the case that there are better structures in place now to bring on new talent which will ensure Barcelona will stay at the top for years to come?

As for the game last night, if united had picked Fletcher and maybe started with Scholes, i don't think the outcome would have been much different. Also, just to say if not for the sheer defensive class of Vidic in the first half, the scoreline would have been greater!

Glico Man

nacho libre wrote: »

I wonder will the same fate befall this current Barcelona team that happened the great Ac Milan team of the eighties? or is it the case that there are better structures in place now to bring on new talent which will ensure Barcelona will stay at the top for years to come?

As for the game last night, if united had picked Fletcher and maybe started with Scholes, i don't think the outcome would have been much different. Also, just to say if not for the sheer defensive class of Vidic in the first half, the scoreline would have been greater!

The debt is a bit of a worry for Barça but if they keep winning trophies then that will get smaller. They've also a wealth of talent in their under age teams, most recently this season, Thiago has emerged as a possible contender to replace Xavi so maybe they won't have to spend so much on Fabregas. There's also the prospect that is Rafinha, Thiago's younger brother, who is said to be even better than Thiago.

Barcelona B would have been promoted to the Primera Liga were it not for the rules in place, which shows the strength of their second team

losthorizon

ShamoBuc wrote: »

That Barca team are seriously good and more importantly will go down as the greatest of all time I think as they will probably stay together for a good few more years - could watch them all day long. A bit too one sided a final as Utd simply are not in the same lge.
A lge of one at the moment.

You cant argue with the fact that Barcelina are a fine team but to describe them as the greatest team of all time is ludicrous. Its always done by every generation when they see what they percieve as as the best team of their period. What of Honved of the 50s's, Brazil of the 70s, The Real Madrid team that won so many European Cups and AC Milan containing Gullit, Von Basten, Rijkard, Maldini etc.

In my eyes that Barcelona team you could watch all night but they do have their fralities especially at the back. By no means are they unbeatable.

eagle eye

mike65 wrote: »

Is that it for the rest of Europe? The age profile of the Barca squad plus their ability to attract top talent if they need it would seem to suggest they are going to dominate the CL for the next 4/5 years. Seems the only thing that might stop them is if Pep leaves and they make an error in his replacement.

This is also bad news for whoever manages Chelsea in the forseeable future!

As long as Xavi can do his thing I can't see anybody beating them, thats of course with Messi playing as well. When Xavi starts to lose his quality this team will not be the same. They might still be able to dominate, you just can't predict what way things will go then but as long as Xavi is at the top of his game and has those players around him they will be awesome.