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Barcelona players celebrate with the trophy following their Champions League final soccer match against Manchester United at the Olympic stadium in Rome May 27, 2009. Barcelona completed an historic treble with a 2-0 win over holders Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome on Wednesday night. [Xinhua]
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Barcelona Stunned Manchester United to win their third Champions League crown with a 2-0 victory in Rome, Italy on Wednesday.
Goals from star forwards Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans a deserved victory and denied United from becoming the first team to retain the title since the European Cup became the Champions League in 1993.
It gave the Spaniards a unique treble having already won their domestic league and cup and meant they repeated a feat United achieved in 1999, which Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson had then claimed would never be matched.
It crowned a marvellous debut season for his Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola, who at 38 becomes the youngest coach to take European club football's greatest prize.
Barca overcame early jitters to dominate large parts of the game as the English club never managed to get their usual high tempo game into gear.
Andres Iniesta played in Eto'o who beat Nemanja Vidic inside the box and succeeded in helping it past Edwin van der Sar to pull Barca 1-0 ahead.
Barca extended their lead from the most unlikely source as Xavi picked out Messi at the back post on the edge of the six yard box, the Argentine wizard's looping header arcing into the top corner on 70 minutes.
