FC Barcelona is the European champions for a third time , the second in four seasons .
Goals in either half from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi, defeated Manchester United FC in Rome.
Andrés Iniesta was the orchestrator, finding Eto'o inside the area, but there was still plenty for the striker to do with Nemanja Vidić in close attendance.
One swift turn inside the centre-back later, Eto'o was free to prod a shot inside Edwin van der Sar's near post.
United's vocal supporters were stunned into silence and their team mirrored that reaction, with Barcelona enjoying the better of the half thereafter.
Perhaps not surprisingly against the competition's best defence, however, clear chances were at a premium.
Long-range efforts from Messi and Xavi, and a low Messi cross fumbled by Van der Sar, were the best Barça could muster.
Twenty minutes from time, that hard work was undone.
Xavi was allowed to advance down the right; with time and space, the midfielder measured a pinpoint cross for Messi, enjoying similar freedom, and the UEFA Champions League's top scorer produced a fabulous header for his ninth goal of this campaign.
Valdés promptly denied Ronaldo to preserve the two-goal cushion, yet the better openings continued to come at the other end – Van der Sar frustrating Carles Puyol twice and Iniesta.
Sir Alex therefore missed out on joining Bob Paisley as the only manager to lift three European Cups.
Instead, Guardiola's superbly inventive Barça became the first Spanish side to win league, cup and UEFA Champions League in the same season.
Abidal was sent off in the semi-final against Chelsea last week.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola had insisted that the Catalan giants argue against the pair's suspensions "out of respect for them".
The performance of referee Tom Henning Ovrebo at Stamford Bridge has come in for huge criticism, but there is no formal procedure at Uefa for overturning refereeing decisions.
Even though Phillipp Lahm is a good player, he is young and has not ever played for a team that attracts attention quite the same way as Arsenal do.
It´s difficult to compare when you don´t hear Phillip Lahm´s name on a daily basis where, even now at Barcelona, it is difficult if you expose yourself to football news to avoid some mention of Henry from time to time.
Guardiola was an amazing player, almost every pass was perfect, he could get the odd goal, and he provided great service to his team.
a super player, but Cesc is really not far from that. His passing is second to none and he can score as well, as well as being reasonably good defensively, as Guardiola was as well, although that was not really noticed as much as his passing.
Iniesta is the unsung hero of barca. He can kill defences with one pass. Just needs a better finish on him sometimes and he would be one of the best in the world.
Liverpool new young striker nickname is :"The Killer".
He started his way at Malaga and then moved to Barca who didnt want to sign him for 3 years , so he got an offer from the Reds...
He will join will join new arrivals Alex Kacaniklic, Marvin Purie, Mikel San Jose, Nikolai Mikhailov, Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon at the Reds reserves..
Garcia Pimienta , Barca youth manager said that Barca will miss "The Killer" a lot.
In the picture you can see him with his team mates in Barca : Israeli Gai Assulin and Thiago Alcantara .
In May 2001, aged ten years old, Bojan had already played for two years with Barça junior team.
Now , at the age of 17-year-old , he was promoted to the Barcelona first team squad in the summer and has become the club's youngest ever scorer in the league as well as moving to the verge of a place in the full Spain side.
Playing alongside such superstars in Barça has been his dream , but Krkic has one particular player that he likes : Thierry Henry .