So it was a big anti-climax from a United fan's point of view. Nine minutes of promising, free-flowing football and half a dozen speculative shots from Cristiano Ronaldo. That was the sum total of United's attacking enterprise which has been their hallmark.
After Samuel Eto'o's opportunistic strike in the tenth minute, Barcelona took a grip of the game and simply never let go. With the superb Iniesta and Xavi running the show from the middle of the park, and the mercurial Messi popping up all over the place to irritate and mesmerise the United back four, the football they played was simply irresistible, even to this United supporter's eyes.
Put simply, they gave United a lesson in ball control and possession football. As Michael Carrick attempted to find the Hollywood pass from his 'quarterback' position, Senors Iniesta and Xavi were playing the simple ball, rarely more than ten yards and never to an opponent's feet.
When the smallest man on the pitch, the 5 foot 6 inches Lionel Messi, leapt between Ferdinand and Vidic to double the lead, there was no doubt where the trophy was heading.
Gracious in defeat, Sir Alex Ferguson conceded that they had been beaten by the better team. He will now spend the summer making big decisions on players' futures and wondering how he could add to his own squad as he attempts to bounce straight back and launch another trophy hunt in 2009/2010.
As far as Barca go, they will enjoy this victory for a long time. Winning is always nice, but winning by playing sexy football is the stuff of legend.
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