| Barcelona | Man. United | |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 12 | Attempts on target | 1 |
| 4 | Attempts off target | 2 |
| 6 | Corners | 0 |
| 38' 54'' | Possession (time) | 22' 11'' |
| 63 | Possession (%) | 37 |
| 5 | Fouls committed | 16 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
Just as in 1992, Wembley provided the setting for a Catalan celebration as FC Barcelona turned on the style to beat Manchester United FC 3-1 and claim their fourth European crown. Barcelona were worthy winners, taking the lead through Pedro Rodríguez and responding to Wayne Rooney’s equaliser with two superb second-half strikes from Lionel Messi and David Villa.
If Barcelona’s triumph at the old Wembley broke down a barrier, this underlined the Spanish titleholders’ status as the continent’s dominant force, this third UEFA Champions League in six seasons conferring the stamp of greatness on Josep Guardiola’s side. For United, this was a sorry repeat of their Rome defeat by Barcelona two years ago. There were dancers with umbrellas on the pitch in the opening ceremony and even the simulated sounds of a storm but it was on the pitch that lightning eventually struck twice.
For a short while, it looked like things might turn out differently for the English champions. Sir Alex selected an attacking formation, resisting the temptation to pack his midfield and instead fielding both Javier Hernández and Rooney in attack. His team raced out of the starting blocks, pushing up and aiming to deny Barcelona the time and space to find their stride, and briefly the ploy worked. Barcelona looked edgy as Hernández hustled a defender into losing the ball on the edge of his area; Javier Mascherano, starting in central defence in place of Carles Puyol then failed to deal with Edwin van der Sar’s punt down the middle, forcing Valdés into urgent action to deny Rooney.
Inevitably, though, Barcelona clicked into gear, and they fashioned the first clear opening on the quarter-hour as Xavi Hernández drove in a low cross that Pedro, drifting free of Fabio, turned wide. Barcelona soon had United pinned back as more chances came. Villa flashed a shot narrowly wide before forcing a low save out of Edwin van der Sar. A superb Nemanja Vidić challenge then foiled Messi but, in the 27th minute, United were undone.
Xavi was the architect, advancing into United territory and picking out Pedro with a diagonal pass. The winger’s movement had carried him clear of Vidić on the right side of the box and he applied a cool finish, sidefooting the ball into the near corner with Van der Sar wrongfooted.
Amid the many predictions about this contest the general consensus seemed to be that United needed the first goal. Yet they responded seven minutes later with a fine equaliser, their first attempt on target. After Barcelona had lost the ball from an Abidal throw-in, Rooney surged forward on a one-two with Michael Carrick. He then slipped a pass to Ryan Giggs inside the box and met the Welshman’s return ball with a superb curled finish into the far corner.
Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted “the final of the decade” and an absorbing first half almost produced another goal when Messi drove forward and after feeding Pedro on the right, was just a whisker away from meeting the return.
United’s respite was short-lived as Barcelona resumed their control after the restart. Although Van der Sar saved from Daniel Alves, Messi restored their lead after 54 minutes. Collecting a pass from Messi, the Argentinian cut inside Patrice Evra and punished Vidić’s failure to close him down by sweeping the ball past Van der Sar from 20 metres. Messi’s subsequent explosion of emotion showed just what the goal – his first on English soil but 12th in this season’s competition – meant.
The little magician could have had more goals as Barcelona went for the kill. Van der Sar denied him with his legs before Fabio denied his back-heeled effort with a goalline block. Van der Sar, on his final appearance, offered a fitting reminder of his class with a full-length dive to foil Xavi but he had no chance with Villa’s third goal after 69 minutes. Although United stopped Messi’s surge into the box, substitute Nani lost out to Sergio Busquets who teed up the Spain striker to curl an exquisite finish into the top corner.
Antonio Valencia is congratulated after scoring Manchester United's opening goal
| Barcelona | Real Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 6 | Attempts on target | 1 |
| 4 | Attempts off target | 1 |
| 3 | Corners | 2 |
| 36' 35'' | Possession (time) | 20' 7'' |
| 64 | Possession (%) | 36 |
| 10 | Fouls committed | 31 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 5 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
Antonio Valencia is congratulated after scoring Manchester United's opening goal| Man. United | Schalke | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 8 | Attempts on target | 4 |
| 2 | Attempts off target | 5 |
| 13 | Corners | 10 |
| 33' 16'' | Possession (time) | 39' 8'' |
| 45 | Possession (%) | 55 |
| 13 | Fouls committed | 15 |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
ester United FC took a big step towards the final as Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney scored in quick succession at FC Schalke 04 – watch the goals on UEFA.com now. 
Wayne Rooney is congratulated after scoring United's second
Sir Alex Ferguson was full of praise for the brilliance of his Manchester United FC team and Manuel Neuer, without whom FC Schalke 04 would have lost by an even greater margin. 
Despite his own standout goalkeeping display against Manchester United FC, Manuel Neuer was saddened by FC Schalke 04's 2-0 home loss, saying: "We were always a step behind". 
Wayne Rooney did his best to keep his focus after scoring in Manchester United FC's 2-0 first-leg win at FC Schalke 04, but told UEFA.com: "It would be great if we could get to play a final at Wembley." 
Real Madrid CF 0-2 FC Barcelona
Josep Guardiola has told FC Barcelona they are "not at Wembley yet" despite an impressive victory at Real Madrid CF, although the coach paid tribute to his side's controlled display. Lionel Messi's two goals at the Santiago Bernabéu moved him on to 11 in the competition this season and left the Argentinian in sight of a mark only previously reached by Gerd Müller. 
Cristiano Ronaldo and Javier Mascherano duel for possession during tonight's first leg
With injuries mounting and the Copa del Rey final loss fresh in his mind, FC Barcelona's Josep Guardiola thinks Real Madrid CF will take "the tag of favourites" into their semi-final meeting. 
José Mourinho has been quoting Albert Einstein to inspire his players, a tactic that may be working as Josep Guardiola prepares FC Barcelona to meet a side "in their form of the season". Wayne Rooney is congratulated after scoring United's second| Schalke | Man. United | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goals scored | 2 |
| 5 | Attempts on target | 10 |
| 3 | Attempts off target | 6 |
| 3 | Corners | 6 |
| 26' 8'' | Possession (time) | 48' 8'' |
| 35 | Possession (%) | 65 |
| 12 | Fouls committed | 15 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
Josep Guardiola has told FC Barcelona they are "not at Wembley yet" despite an impressive victory at Real Madrid CF, although the coach paid tribute to his side's controlled display. | Real Madrid | Barcelona | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goals scored | 2 |
| 3 | Attempts on target | 5 |
| 3 | Attempts off target | 3 |
| 1 | Corners | 1 |
| 17' 9'' | Possession (time) | 43' 23'' |
| 28 | Possession (%) | 72 |
| 21 | Fouls committed | 25 |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 1 | Red cards | 1 |
| Man. United | Chelsea | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 6 | Attempts on target | 5 |
| 2 | Attempts off target | 9 |
| 7 | Corners | 2 |
| 32' 45'' | Possession (time) | 29' 34'' |
| 52 | Possession (%) | 48 |
| 13 | Fouls committed | 18 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 4 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
| Shakhtar Donetsk | Barcelona | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 5 | Attempts on target | 6 |
| 5 | Attempts off target | 8 |
| 5 | Corners | 4 |
| 23' 52'' | Possession (time) | 37' 45'' |
| 38 | Possession (%) | 62 |
| 22 | Fouls committed | 17 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| Tottenham | Real Madrid | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 3 | Attempts on target | 4 |
| 7 | Attempts off target | 5 |
| 4 | Corners | 5 |
| 32' 18'' | Possession (time) | 33' 17'' |
| 49 | Possession (%) | 51 |
| 9 | Fouls committed | 12 |
| 0 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| Schalke | Internazionale | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 4 | Attempts on target | 5 |
| 2 | Attempts off target | 10 |
| 7 | Corners | 12 |
| 23' 48'' | Possession (time) | 34' 43'' |
| 40 | Possession (%) | 60 |
| 26 | Fouls committed | 13 |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| Real Madrid | Tottenham | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Goals scored | 0 |
| 11 | Attempts on target | 1 |
| 14 | Attempts off target | 3 |
| 9 | Corners | 3 |
| 37' 5'' | Possession (time) | 20' 7'' |
| 64 | Possession (%) | 36 |
| 10 | Fouls committed | 10 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 4 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
| Internazionale | Schalke | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Goals scored | 5 |
| 7 | Attempts on target | 11 |
| 5 | Attempts off target | 5 |
| 4 | Corners | 4 |
| 35' 22'' | Possession (time) | 30' 52'' |
| 53 | Possession (%) | 47 |
| 8 | Fouls committed | 19 |
| 3 | Yellow cards | 4 |
| 1 | Red cards | 0 |
| Chelsea | Man. United | |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 7 | Attempts on target | 3 |
| 6 | Attempts off target | 0 |
| 3 | Corners | 5 |
| 31' 38'' | Possession (time) | 25' 56'' |
| 54 | Possession (%) | 46 |
| 15 | Fouls committed | 15 |
| 4 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
| Barcelona | Shakhtar Donetsk | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Goals scored | 1 |
| 10 | Attempts on target | 2 |
| 7 | Attempts off target | 4 |
| 4 | Corners | 3 |
| 42' 37'' | Possession (time) | 23' 34'' |
| 64 | Possession (%) | 36 |
| 9 | Fouls committed | 20 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red cards | 0 |
