Red Devils Identity

Barcelona beat Manchester United 2–0 in Rome to claim a historic treble.

The 2009 UEFA Champions League final was played on 27 May 2009 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy. The match was won by Barcelona of Spain, who beat England's Manchester United 2–0.

Quick Facts

European cup finals played: 4
Final result: 1-1 (6-5 on penalties) – 2008 final

Lore & Background

This was the only UEFA Champions League final where Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have met, as well as the last match Ronaldo played for Manchester United until his return to the club in 2021. Manchester United went into the match as the competition's defending champions, the first title holders to reach the final since Juventus in 1997. Manchester United also sought to be the first team to retain the European Cup since the Milan win in 1990.

Reader's Guide

The Stadio Olimpico had hosted three previous Champions League finals, in 1977, 1984 and 1996. The match was refereed by Swiss referee Massimo Busacca. For winning the final, Barcelona won €7 million in prize money, and Manchester United received €4 million as runners-up.

Did You Know?

Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and Lionel Messi added another goal 20 minutes from the end.
This was Barcelona's third victory in the competition, 17 years after their first European Cup win in 1992.
It was the fifth consecutive year that the final involved at least one English team.
Barcelona's win earned them a historic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, a feat never before achieved by a Spanish club.