The best team in Europe! (2-1)

Frank Rijkaard's Barca has taken over from Johan Cruyff's Dream Team and started a new period of domestic and European success. Tonight in Paris Barca overturned a 1-0 deficit with goals from Eto'o and Belletti.

People have been saying for some time that Barca is the best team in Europe and plays the most attractive football. Now it's official. On the 17th May 2006, Barca was crowned champion of Europe for the second time in the club's history. Fourteen years after Alexanco held aloft the European Cup in Wembley, Puyol did the same in Paris. This team has shown the world that it's following on from where the Dream Team left off and is determined to dominate both domestically and in Europe.

Fourteen years ago it was a Dutchman who clinched the title for Barca. This time it was a Cameroonian and a Brazilian. Goals from Eto'o and Belletti – his first in a Barca shirt – plus three or four excellent saves by Valdés, the tactical changes made by Rijkaard in the second half and the all-round performance of the whole team have made Barca winner of the Champions League 2006.

The desire of the fans

Two hours before kick-off, the Barca end of the stadium was almost half full while the Arsenal fans were more conspicuous by their absence. The Barca song rang around this magnificent stadium as a demonstration of the fans' desire to repeat the success of Wembley. This must have been what the players felt as they came out to test the pitch long before the referee was due to start the match.

However, Arsenal started the brighter of the two teams and within the opening three minutes Henry forced two excellent saves from Valdés. However, after this early pressure, Barca began to force themselves up field. In the 7th minute, Eto'o created Barca's first real threat on the Arsenal goal. He took the ball down the left – where he spent much of the first half with Ronaldinho in the centre – and pulled the ball back to Ronaldinho on the edge of the penalty box. Uncharacteristically, the Brazilian's first touch let him down and the Arsenal defence scrambled the ball to safety. Barca's first effort on target came from Giuly. The French winger broke into the box from the wide right position – the first of many marauding runs he was to make in the first half – but the angle was too tight and his fierce drive was comfortably stopped by Lehmann.

Arsenal keeper red-carded

After an absorbing opening quarter of an hour, Barca was looking more and more comfortable on the ball. Deco had another shot on target in the 17th minute after a defensive error had delivered him the ball just outside of the box but once again Lehmann was well positioned to save comfortably. Then came a defining monument in the match. Eto'o broke the Arsenal offside trap to find himself with only Lehmann to beat. He tried to take the ball around the German number one keeper, who pulled him down on the edge of the box. As the referee blew his whistle for a foul the ball rolled forward to Giuly who slotted the ball into the net. The referee showed Lehmann the red card and disallowed the goal. From the resulting free kick Ronaldinho put the ball just wide of substitute keeper Alumnia's right-hand post. However, Barca continued to look the more dangerous side and was dominating possession.

Arsenal takes shock lead

In the 36th minute, Eboué broke down the right of the Arsenal attack and as Puyol ran across him, the referee judged the Barca captain to have fouled the Ivory Coast defender. Henry took the free kick and Sol Campbell rose above the Barca defence to head the ball just inside the far post. 1-0 for Arsenal. Two minutes into injury time, Eto'o was desperately unlucky not to get the equaliser. He received the ball on the penalty spot with his back to the goal, turned his marker, Campbell, and shot hard and low to Almunia's right. The Spanish keeper got a hand to the ball and deflected onto his right-hand post.

Rijkaard's tactical changes

Rijkaard opted for a more attacking look to his midfield in the second half and brought on Iniesta for Edmilson. The Spanish international midfielder made his mark very quickly and forced a save from Almunia after a driving run through the centre of the Arsenal defence. Barca continued to dominate while Arsenal had to be content with the occasional break. Rijkaard stepped up the attacking pressure even further in the 61st minute by bringing on Larsson for Van Bommel. However, as Barca pushed forward there was inevitably the odd chance for Arsenal to hit back on the break, with Lungberg and then Henry forcing excellent saves from Valdés. The rain continued to pour down on Paris increasing the strain on the rapidly tiring legs of the Arsenal players. Finally, the richly deserved equaliser came. In the 76th minute, Iniesta slotted the ball into the left-hand side of the Arsenal box, Larsson touched the ball on to Eto'o who beat Almunia at the near post. 1-1. Barca continue to put the English side under relentless pressure and just five minutes later Belletti powered into the Arsenal penalty area to receive a pass from Larsson. The Brazilian appeared to have too narrow an angle but fired low and hard to put the ball through the keeper's legs for Barca's second. From then on it was just a question of keeping possession.

Time to celebrate

A Cameroonian, a Mexican, a Frenchman, a Swede, Catalans, Spaniards, Argentines, Brazilians, and Dutchmen – they all make up a Championship winning team. A team determined to win everything and make history. Now it's time to celebrate, just as the players have done tonight on the pitch. Barca is beginning its domination of Europe. Let's hope it lasts a long time.

Let's get the second!

It's the day all the fans have been waiting for. FC Barcelona is looking to round off a fantastic season of attacking football with Europe's biggest club prize, the second in the Club's history.

 Tonight, FC Barcelona faces the challenge of lifting the second European Cup in the Club's history. And it does so in the knowledge that the players have already demonstrated on a number of occasions this season that they know how to respond at the crucial moments.

This combined with the undisputable quality of the squad have given Barca the role of favourites. Frank Rijkaard remains, as always, unconcerned with such speculation and, as always, has great respect for his opponents.

Henry v Ronaldinho: These two players symbolise the duel that will take place tonight. They are, without a doubt, two of the best players in the world, both in terms of their individual talent and their ability to turn a match when you least expect it, an essential virtue in a final.

Rijkaard's team: However, apart from these two stars, we mustn't forget the collective team spirit that has characterised Rijkaard's team from the very beginning. Fortunately, Frank Rijkaard is relatively untroubled by problems of suspensions or injuries, though the match fitness of both Messi and Xavi is still unclear. Given developments over the last few weeks, the most likely line-up is probably: Valdés, Oleguer, Márquez, Puyol, Gio, Edmilson, Deco, Iniesta, Giuly, Ronaldinho and Eto'o.

Will Messi play? This is one of the few doubts. The Argentine striker has not played a single minute since he picked up an injury in the second leg of the Chelsea tie, but in recent days he has been able to take part in full training . If he's fit, his presence on the Barca bench would be a tremendous boost for Frank Rijkaard, with his ability to change the rhythm of the game at any moment.

The opponent: Arsène Wegner's Arsenal goes into the match relatively free of pressure. It's the London side's first Champions League final and, after a disappointing season in the Premier League, they seem to have hit form at just the right moment. One of their greatest plus points is their defensive record in the competition, where they have only conceded two goals all season.