LONDON, May 28 (Reuters) - Jubilant Barcelona players were overjoyed to have displayed their dazzling brand of soccer on Saturday as they beat Manchester United 3-1 to win the Champions League.
The Spanish champions threw coach Pep Guardiola in the air and cut out the net from one of the Wembley goals as they celebrated winning a fourth European Cup with a mesmerising display of their brilliant passing game.
“The people watching could see that we not only won but we played a brilliant match,” Guardiola told Spanish television.
Defender Javier Mascherano agreed, telling Sky television: “We are happy because we played in the way we know to play.”
Hot favourites for the title from the start of the season, Barca were thrilled to have lived up to expectations and to win a trophy that Guardiola said required “a hell of a lot of effort”.
“We knew the potential we had and we just had to make the most of it,” David Villa, who scored an 18-metre curler for Barca’s third goal, told Spanish television.
“It’s been a great deal of work … To be happier right now would be impossible.”
Manchester United, outplayed for so much of the game, had no complaints after being beaten by the better side but took some comfort from the fact they gave better account of themselves than they did in the defeat by Barca in the 2009 final.
“I think we gave it a better shot than we did last time,” centre back Rio Ferdinand told Sky.
“Although the scoreline was 3-1 we did have quite a few opportunities … but it wasn’t to be. You’ve certainly got to give credit to them, they were the better side on the night.
He added that his team could have dealt better with a couple of the Barca goals but that the “sucker punch” had been Messi’s goal early in the second half that pulled Barcelona ahead.
“They are a great side, great players, they have a way of playing they all know. It was up to us to combat that and we didn’t do that,” he added to ITV television.
United captain Nemanja Vidic said his side had not dealt with Barca’s devastating movement on the ball.
“We didn’t do what we should have done, we shouldn’t have given them time on the ball which they had,” he said. “When they have time on the ball, the final pass is easy.”
Mascherano rubbed salt into United’s wounds by dedicating Barca’s victory to fans of his former club Liverpool—United’s arch rivals.
The Spanish champions threw coach Pep Guardiola in the air and cut out the net from one of the Wembley goals as they celebrated winning a fourth European Cup with a mesmerising display of their brilliant passing game.
“The people watching could see that we not only won but we played a brilliant match,” Guardiola told Spanish television.
Defender Javier Mascherano agreed, telling Sky television: “We are happy because we played in the way we know to play.”
Hot favourites for the title from the start of the season, Barca were thrilled to have lived up to expectations and to win a trophy that Guardiola said required “a hell of a lot of effort”.
“We knew the potential we had and we just had to make the most of it,” David Villa, who scored an 18-metre curler for Barca’s third goal, told Spanish television.
“It’s been a great deal of work … To be happier right now would be impossible.”
Manchester United, outplayed for so much of the game, had no complaints after being beaten by the better side but took some comfort from the fact they gave better account of themselves than they did in the defeat by Barca in the 2009 final.
“I think we gave it a better shot than we did last time,” centre back Rio Ferdinand told Sky.
“Although the scoreline was 3-1 we did have quite a few opportunities … but it wasn’t to be. You’ve certainly got to give credit to them, they were the better side on the night.
He added that his team could have dealt better with a couple of the Barca goals but that the “sucker punch” had been Messi’s goal early in the second half that pulled Barcelona ahead.
“They are a great side, great players, they have a way of playing they all know. It was up to us to combat that and we didn’t do that,” he added to ITV television.
United captain Nemanja Vidic said his side had not dealt with Barca’s devastating movement on the ball.
“We didn’t do what we should have done, we shouldn’t have given them time on the ball which they had,” he said. “When they have time on the ball, the final pass is easy.”
Mascherano rubbed salt into United’s wounds by dedicating Barca’s victory to fans of his former club Liverpool—United’s arch rivals.
“After my exit they (Liverpool fans) were a little sad with me but this is for them as well,” he said.
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