By Barnaby Chesterman
ROME (AFP) — Barcelona stunned holders Manchester United to win their third Champions League crown with a 2-0 victory here.
Goals from star forwards Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans a deserved victory and denied United from becoming the first team to retain the title since the European Cup became the Champions League in 1993.
It gave the Spaniards a unique treble having already won their domestic league and cup and meant they repeated a feat United achieved in 1999, which Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson had then claimed would never be matched.
It crowned a marvellous debut season for his Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola, who at 38 becomes the youngest coach to take European club football's greatest prize.
British newspapers said Manchester were ripped to shreds by a superior Barcelona in the Champions League final, taking Alex Ferguson's hopes for a place in history down with them.
"United leave Rome in ruins," said The Times, after the 2-0 defeat in the Italian capital on Wednesday. "United fold without a fight," said the Guardian.
There was universal admiration for Barcelona's performance -- and scathing words for United, which had hoped to become the first team to retain the Champions League for a second year running.
The Sun said Barca offered a "mesmerising" performance which made United look "as lifeless as the statues that lined the road to the Stadio Olimpico".
"It's Messi-cre for Fergie flops" said the Sun, referring to Barcelona's Lionel Messi who scored the second goal of the night 20 minutes from time.
"Ferguson's side, making elementary mistakes at the back, didn't have an answer," said one commentator in the tabloid.
For Thierry Henry it ended years of frustration especially when his then team Arsenal lost to Barcelona in the 2006 final.
"Finally I have won it! I have been waiting for so long for this moment," said the France great, whose daughter celebrated her birthday as well on Wednesday.
"The last five minutes were the longest of my life. Even if we were 2-0 up we were playing the best team in the world (referring to the world club championship title United won earlier this year)."
Ferguson accepted defeat with good grace.
"We started the game brightly but the goal was a killer," said the 67-year-old Scot, who looked to have had a good omen when one of his horses Last Three Minutes won a race earlier on Wednesday.
"However, they are a better team than us. We conceded two bad goals. Our defence has been good all season but those were two shoddy goals to lose."
Barca overcame early jitters to dominate large parts of the game as the English club never managed to get their usual high tempo game into gear.
In a clash billed as the match of the century pitting the best two teams in the world - with each one boasting one of the best two players in the world - only one played to their full potential.
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