Final score: Barcelona 2, Manchester United 0 90th minute plus … Barcelona has exposed the long accepted soccer and sports bromide that defense wins championships. With a hobble defense, the Spanish champions weathered United’s early onslaught and fought back with style. Dominant midfielder play led by Xavi and Iniesta. A truly deserved championship for the Blaugrana. 90th minute plus … Rodriguez for Iniesta. 87th minute … Berbatov header sails over the goal. 85th minute … Puyol takes a pass from Xavi and nearly makes it 3-0. 84th minute … Barca in complete and utter control. United players walking, stunned. 75th minute … Last gasp for United, Scholes replaces Giggs. Probably too little, too late. 70th minute … Absolute DAGGER. Xavi finds Messi at the far post, and the Argentine flash scores an goal on an unlikely header. Barcelona, 2-0. 67th minute … Berbatov replaces a frustrated Park. 60th minute … Nothing but frustration for United. Ronaldo offside, errant passes, nothing clicking. But still a long way to go. 52nd minute … Iniesta fouled at top of United penalty are. Xavi beats van der Sar, but shot slams off the near post. 49th minute … Barcelaon pouring forward, with control and confidence. But without scoring so far, which could be deadly. 47th minute … Xavi springs Henry down the left, one on one with Ferdinand. Fakes the big defender off his feet, but shot is saved by van der Sar. Could have been a dagger. 46th minute … Tevez replaces the ineffective Anderson. Halftime … The type of match where you look up at the running clock and are amazed that 40-45 have passed. Sheer entertainment, regardless of which team you’re supporting. If you’re reading this the real question is: Why aren’t you watching the match? If you’re Sir Alex, who comes off and who goes on for the second half? If you’re Guardiola, do you make any changes? 45th minute … Messi takes a throw-in on the near side and just motors 40 years with the ball seemingly attached to his left foot for a shot that van der Sar can’t gain control of. Cleared by United defense. 43rd minute … Rooney looking increasingly frustrated out on the left, seeing little of the ball. While Iniesta and Xavi bob and weave at will in the midfield. 39th minute … As hobbled as Barca’s defense is with the absence of Marquez, Abidal, et al, United’s skill players are getting little space to turn and run. And Sylvinho is holding his own. 33rd minute … Barca captain Puyol blankets Rooney, and United’s Park has not yet imposed himself on the game; while for Barca, Henry seems lost on the left flank. 27th minute … If Messi was quick enough, the little Argentine is replendent in his new electric-blue Adidas Tunit F50i shoes. Like some many players today, they’re going with the day-glo colors on their flippers. Break out the sunglasses! 25th minute … Can we stop the clock or put it in someone’s pocket? This is end to end stuff. The game at its pinnacle. Play all night! 24th minute … Anderson jostles Iniesta, Barca’s engine about 25-28 yards from goal on the near side. Xavi’s curling free kick sails wide. 23rd minute … Eto’o’s goal seems to have settled Barcelona and renewed its confidence. United’s early ball possession game seems a thing of the past. … For now. 20th minute … Valdés wipes out Park on a sprint to the edge of the area to clear. 17th minute … Ronaldo makes a fool of Pique and forces the Barcelona defender into an obstruction 25 yeards out. Pique also takes a yellow card from Referee Massimo Busacca, but free kick sails high. 10th minute … Barca’s first offensive foray led by Iniesta, who carries 10-15 yards and leads Eto’s into the United area. The Cameroonian international cuts around Vidic and slips the ball past van der Sar. Talk about counters. So much of United’s early dominance. Barcelona 1-0 9th minute … United buildup on left springs Ronaldo for left-footed shot pushed wide of goal. 7th minute … Ronaldo, who has had so much success from long range recently, unloads from about 30 years. And why not? With Valdés showing signs of the yipes. 5th minute … Pressure is all from United. 1st minute … Anderson nutmegs Toure, Ronaldo’s low free kick is coughed up by Valdés, Park misses rebound and it goes for a Manchester United corner. Valdés looks shaky early. Underway at 2.45 and Valdés immediately flubs a clearing pass over the touchline. Minutes before kickoff … Manchester United in all white; Barcelona is blue-and-red striped jerseys. 2:20p We invite your comments as the game progresses and will make every attempt to respond. Will will also be receiving comments from time to time from our correspondents on the scene, Jere Longman of The New York Times and Peter Berlin of The International Herald Tribune. 2.15p Eastern: Welcome to our live blogging of the UEFA Champions League final between the defending and current English Premier League champion Manchester United of England and the current La Liga champions Barcelona of Spain, which will kick off in Rome’s Olympic Stadium in about 30 minutes. Here are Wednesday’s starting lineups: Manchester UnitedGoalkeeper: Edwin van der sarDefenders: Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, John O’SheaMidfielders: Christiano Ronaldo, Anderson, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Michael CarrickForward: Wayne Rooney Substitutes: Tomasz Kuszczak, Dimitar Berbatov, Nani, Paul Scholes, Rafael, Jonny Evans, Carlos Tévez Barcelona Goalkeeper: Victor Valdés Defenders: Gerald Piqué, Carles Puyol, Sylvinho, Yaya TouréMidfielders: Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Xavi HernándezForwards: Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, Thierry Henry Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson Substitutes: José Pinto, Martin Cáceres, Eidur Gujohnsen, Bojan Krkic, Keita, Pedro Rodríguez, ¡Vamos Barça!— estelariana 18. May 27, 2009 4:42 pm Link My hat’s off to Barca. Though I had premonitions that the Mancunians would have a hard time, I guess I should never root for a team who is going against a side, whose Goalkeeper’s name is Vic! The Barcelonean’s were the better team today, by the fact that they were the ones to put the ball in the Goal! The Red Devils are a great team, but they just didn’t get the job done!— Vic the Brooklynite 19. May 27, 2009 4:53 pm Link Jack Bell, you know about soccer just about as much as I know about golf: very little. Of course the best defense won tonight. Barcelona gave advanced lessons in defense in the 21st century. They pressed throughout the pitch, they made it hard for ManUtd to pass the ball and to reach Barca’s end. This was the most brilliant defensive game ever. They completely short circuited ManUtd’s and they made the Brits look like fools. How do you suppose you make a team like ManUtd look like deer in the headlights? By just attacking? If you go back and look at the statistics I am willing to bet that United had more shots and more times in Barca’s end. But the Catalans played defense from another planet.— P Konstantinides 20. May 27, 2009 4:56 pm Link Like I stated earlier BARCELONA NEW UEFA CHAMPSCongratulations, great game Man. Utd. but maybe next time. WOOT!— Christian 21. May 27, 2009 4:56 pm Link Today is a sad day :(— Real Madrid till the death 22. May 27, 2009 5:00 pm Link Congratulations to Barcelona. They took their chances. I think they won because MU focused on Messi rather than on Xavi and Iniesta. I’m glad Henry finally got the Champion’s League medal his talent deserves.— Dean 23. May 27, 2009 5:07 pm Link Barcelona wins!!! I’m from argentina so of course I went for barce! Eto’o and messi are the best! 2-0 that will teach ronaldo a lesson…he thinks he knows evrything will think again. Once Messi has the ball no one can stop him! Barcelona is the champion winning la copa uefa la copa rey and la copa champian of course! Ronaldo tried but all those goals he missed. Next year barcelona has to jlust keep the cup they are gonna win again anyway!!! Vamos pulga!— julieta 24. May 27, 2009 5:08 pm Link Viva la Barcelona!!— ena 25. May 27, 2009 5:09 pm Link Felicitats! Go Barca!!!!!— Zoe