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Peter Fitzpatrick·28 May 2025
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Peter Fitzpatrick·28 May 2025
To many, Pep Guardiola's Barcelona is the best club side of the modern era, and on this day 14 years ago, they reached their zenith with a magical Champions League final performance and victory over Manchester United at Wembley.
The two clubs had met two years prior in the Rome final, in what was Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez's last games for United, but also the night Pep Guardiola showed he was the real deal with a dominant win against the favourites and defending champions.
By 2011, Sir Alex Ferguson's side were still top dogs in England but far from the side they were at their own peak. The legendary manager claimed to have learned from the humbling in the Italian capital, but if anything, it was an ever more one-sided contest in London.
Barça put United's midfield on another carousel to quote Michael Carrick, and their front three of Lionel Messi, David Villa and Pedro all struck in a ruthless 3-1 win.
Wayne Rooney's brilliant goal had given United hope at one point, but it was not meant to be as the Spanish giants proved a class above the Red Devils like they had everyone across the continent.
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After the game, Ferguson was magnanimous in his praise of Barça, labelling them "the best team we've faced" in his 26 years at Old Trafford, while Guardiola confirmed his spot as the pre-eminent coach in the modern game.
We haven't quite seen a side like that Barcelona vintage since, and it's unlikely we will anytime soon.
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