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Darren Fletcher alongside
Jermaine Jenas in commentary today
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Ovidiu Haţegan – 40-year old Romanian referee with his first final.
Kick-Off
20' Early stages and both teams are trying to make their mark. No team has made a real chance to speak of but possession is split.
Fletcher -
36’ Cucurella with the throw into Arthur, back to Cucurella with a first time cross. Messssiiii…
GOAL!!!
Lionel Messi does it again he’s superhuman (Rob Palmer 23/4/2017 Real M
2-3 FCB)
It’s Messi, Lionel Messi does it again! (Rob Palmer 31/3/2018 Sevilla
2-2 FCB)
We have seen him do that in a final before 12 years and 2 days ago vs Man U!
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He has said it’s one of his favourite goals many times and this may well have surpassed that. The Barcelona captain and genius has scored with Mendy on his shoulders!
Jenas - He doesn’t score headers! Unbelievable Darren.
Fletcher -
45’ On the stroke of HT Lenglet sends a long ball forward to Griezmann and Cancelo trips him. It’s a clear yellow and Barcelona are taking this game to City, they need to regroup.
HT
Gary Lineker – Wow! That was one way to return eh. He doesn’t score headers. We were watching highlights before this game and that Man U header came up. I think he must have been watching it in the dressing room. Unbelievable header.
Vincent Kompany – He is the difference here; I don’t think City have been bad but there isn’t much you can do about that.
Steve McManaman – He’s one of the best we’ve seen with the ball at his feet it shouldn’t be possible scoring a goal like that.
Gary Lineker – Our reaction to the goals and first half analysis after this break…
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2nd Half
Fletcher -
65’ Mendy down the left for City, looks to pass it inside but it’s a dreadful ball to de Jong and Foden is quick into the dutchman and it’s another yellow. 3rd of the night.
Sub
69' –
Jesus on for
Aguero
Fletcher -
69’ Semedo down the right for Barca, with around 20 minutes to go. He gets past Sterling with ease and Rodri comes over to assist, but Sterling has clipped him and linesman flags. Exaclty what Barca need, City with cynical fouls. Ovidiu Haţegan (Ref) wants a word with Sterling now and gives him a yellow which hasn’t gone down well with Man City fans or Sterling himself. 50/50 for me, didn’t need to do it.
Jenas – It think it’s harsh, personally.
Fletcher -
70’ So, Messi stands over the ball at the far corner of the pitch. Sends the ball into the box towards Griezmann at the far post, saved, but it’s gone in… I think it hit off Cancelo.
2-0!!!
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Jenas – What has happened here? It’s a lovely cross from Messi and what a save Ederson, but it’s in off Cancelo.
It has come from a needless fk that just gave Barcelona another opportunity to cause danger, they’re going to have to step it up now.
Sub - Foden off for
Gundogan and
Walker on for
Cancelo
Fletcher -
77’ Mendy with the throw and Semedo is quickly on Sterling, you can see the pressing from Barcelona so high up is relentless. First booking for Barca.
Jenas - They seemed to have upped that intensity later on and they haven't made any subs yet!
Sub
79' –
Piqué on for
Arthur, first change for Barca and it looks like they will be going to a back 5.
Sub
87' –
Suárez is going off for the former Liverpool man
Coutinho, who spent last season on loan at Bayern.
Jenas – It hasn’t been a top Suárez performance, but they are 2-0 up with about 5 mins left so.
Fletcher -
88’ Corner late on for City. They have to get this right now. De Bruyne in but de Jong heads clear. Stones collects on the edge of the box and runs wide with it, past piqué and crosses it. Sterling is all alone at the back post… Left footed finish by Sterling. Surely, it’s offside there was no one near him!
VAR - GOAL. It didn’t take long, I think it’s Cuccurella playing him on and it’s a lifeline for Manchester City!
Jenas – VAR has gone against them in the past but it’s an east decision here. Game on… 2-1
Injury time - There will be 5 minute added on because of the last goal.
Sub
94' –
Dembélé will be the last change for Barcelona, coming on for
Griezmann. His pace could cause problems if City push further forward.
Fletcher -
96’ de Jong gets it on the edge of the boxes and just smashes it clear. It’s played out to De Bruyne in the middle, he plays a one two with Bernardo Silva, its then passed out to Walker who tries to go on the outside of Dembélé…
FULL TIME!
That’s it. FCB are CL winners for the
6th time!
Jenas – They deserved it. A wonderful goal from Messi and then a bit of bad luck. But they controlled the game for long stretches.
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Borja Fornas becomes the
all-time youngest winning manager of the competition at 35 years 329 days
Beating José Villalonga Llorente, he won the European cup at
36 years and 184 days in 1956!
Pep Guardiola was the youngest CL winner for FCB at 38y and 129 days in 2009!
This title moves Messi and Piqué (1x Man U) to
5x winners of the competition, just 10 others have achieved this. Francisco Gento is still leading with 6, since 1966.
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Borja Fornas - I was told about that record a few days ago but I couldn't think about it then. Now I can and it's is a good feeling to surpass such a long lasting thing.
We played really well and i'm sure people will be talking about Messi's return for years to come.
Enjoy it Culés!
