Manchester United 1-0 Barça

Despite having more possession and more shots in both legs Barça was unable to score a goal in 180 minutes. Manchester United go on to the final in Moscow thanks to a cracking early goal from Paul Scholes. Barça are left to lick their wounds and to contemplate on where it all went wrong in what will almost definitely be the end of the Frank Rijkaard era.

For the first fourteen minutes Barça dictated the pace of the game. Messi had one good run in the first minute which was only stopped by a Scholes foul on the edge of the penalty area, Edwin Van Der Sar’s kicking again looked questionable and in the seventh minute Eto’o took advantage of a poor kick but could not find anyone with his cross. Cristiano Ronaldo had hardly been seen the ball and when he did he had lost in quickly. In the fourteenth minute Ronaldo got robbed again in possession by Zambrotta, but the Italian defender made the mistake of giving the ball straight to Paul Scholes who hit a tremendous shot from 25 yards past Valdés into the top corner.

Barça then spent the next twenty minutes looking nervous with Messi looking like the only player capable of salvaging something. Every time Patrice Evra went forward Barça looked to find Messi to attack the space left by United’s left back. In the 19th minute, Messi made a fantastic run from his own half which ended with a shot that forced Van Der Sar into a diving save.

In the 29th minute Toure lost the ball and Tevez put in a dangerous cross that Valdés only managed to palm away towards Ronaldo who headed the ball back dangerously and Puyol had to clear bravely, clashing heads with Milito in the process. In the last ten minutes of the half Barça began to look more dangerous, Deco had a couple of shots off target, and in the 37th minute Van Der Sar dropped Messi’s cross but Evra reracted quickly to stop Eto’o from pouncing. Nani had a heaader wide at the other end but the last chance of the half went to Milito who failed to get sufficient contact onto Xavi’s free kick and his header went wide.

The second half started promisingly but it was the same story of Barça dominating without creating real danger. United had a couple of chances near the hour, first Tevez played a neat one-two with Ronaldo and forced a good save from Valdés, and then Nani had a good run turning Abidal before wasting his shot. As the clock ticked by the game began to resemble more and more the first leg at Camp Nou as United renounced their attack to sit back and defend. Henry and Bojan came on but both were unable to make an impact. Henry did have a couple of half hearted efforts.

Barça: Valdés; Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Abidal; Xavi, Toure (Gudjohnsen 88′), Deco; Messi, Eto’o (Bojan 71′), Iniesta (Henry 60′)

Goals: 14′ Scholes 1-0