Barcelona took United's crown

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.