The 2009 UEFA Champions League Final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match determined the winners of the 2008–09 season of the UEFA Champions League, a tournament for the top football clubs in Europe. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's Manchester United 2–0. Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and Lionel Messi added another goal 20 minutes from the end to earn Barcelona an historic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, a feat never before achieved by a Spanish club. The match was refereed by Swiss referee Massimo Busacca.
This was Barcelona's third victory in the competition, 17 years after they first won the European Cup in 1992. Manchester United went into the match as the competition's defending champions, the first defending champions to reach the final since Juventus in 1997. Manchester United also sought to be the first team to retain the European Cup since Milan in 1990. It was the fifth year in a row in which the final involved at least one English team. The Stadio Olimpico had hosted three previous Champions League finals, following the 1977, 1984 and 1996 matches.
As winners of the 2008–09 Champions League, Barcelona later played against 2008–09 UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2009 UEFA Super Cup, and they represented UEFA at the 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. Despite winning the Champions League final, Barcelona won €8 million less prize money from the tournament than Manchester United.
Read more about 2009 UEFA Champions League Final: Background, Road To Rome, Reaction, Rewards
Other articles related to "2009 uefa champions league final, uefa champions league final, 2009, champions league final, champions, final":
... Busacca was selected to referee the UEFA Champions League Final in Rome on 27 May 2009 between FC Barcelona and Manchester United. 27 May 2009 2045 CEST Barcelona 2 – 0 Manchester United Stadio Olimpico, Rome Attendance 62,467 Eto'o 10' Messi 70' Report ...
... Both teams received significant financial rewards for reaching the Champions League final ... the match, it was Manchester United who earned the most money from their 2008–09 Champions League campaign, receiving €38.281 million compared to Barcelona's €30.968 million ... million for their participation in the rounds leading up to the final however, Barcelona received a win bonus of €7 million for winning the final, while Manchester United received €4 million for finishing as ...
Famous quotes containing the words league, final and/or champions:
“He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no harm shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Job 5:19-23.
“Parents can only give [children] good advice or put them on their right paths, but the final forming of a person lies in their own hands.”
—Anne Frank (20th century)
“Myths and legends die hard in America. We love them for the extra dimension they provide, the illusion of near-infinite possibility to erase the narrow confines of most men’s reality. Weird heroes and mould-breaking champions exist as living proof to those who need it that the tyranny of “the rat race” is not yet final.”
—Hunter S. Thompson (b. 1939)