It could have been different. United started the more brightly, and a fired up Ronaldo had several sights of goal before the fabled Barcelona midfield could find their feet. But after ten minutes, against the run of play, Samuel Eto’o turned Nemandja Vidic inside out and rifiled a shot past Edwin van der Saar, and Barcelona began to play the football that we’ve seen all season.

Man United had good spells, but Barca had the better chances, a free-kick from man-of-the-match (and season?) Xavi hitting the foot of the post, Henry dancing his way through only to be denied by Van der Saar being the best picks.

United threw on substitute after substitute, but even with four strikers on the pitch they couldn’t score. Incredibly, it was Lionel Messi, with his head, that settled in the match in favour of the Catalan club. An incredible pass from Xavi which cut out three United defenders found Messi unmarked at the back post and the man they used to call “The flea” on account of his lack of height rose and looped his header perfectly over Van der Saar.

There can be little doubt that on the night the best team won, and that over the course of the season it was a genuine victory for nice football. Barcelona’s front three of Messi, Eto’o and Henry scored 99 goals between them this season, and the team as a whole scored 158 in all competitions. They’ve been in a giddy stratospheres, on a different playing field to everybody else.

Congratulations too must be handed out to Pep Guardiola who has single handedly made a mockery of any manager claiming one season isn’t enough. Someone he’s turned a tired-looking Barca team from last year into the best team on earth. In one season. Staggering.

Congratulations to Barcelona. You deserve it.

I really look forward to seeing you all. You can follow the CiL section below after the jump.

Obviously, drink responsibly and to your limits and so on. But enjoy yourself as well

Unlike last year, I probably shant parktake too heavily as I’ll probably be watching it Liveblog style on the main page. Athough, if we all turn up drunk to that it could be fun.

The Rules after the jump.

You must take a mouthful of alcohol when any of the following occur

The fact that Man United won the CL ten years ago in the Nou Camp is mentioned.

Ronaldo or Messi beats more than one man in a single run.

The fact that the two best players in the world are on show is mentioned by anyone.

An English commentator mispronounces a Barca player’s name.

If Barca string together more than ten passes in a move, you must drink for every subsequent pass.

If anyone goes down a bit easy/dives

Someone is booked

Any substitution is made. You must take a longer drink if two are made at the same time.

Kill your drink when

Someone scores (disallowed goals are entirely your discretion, but will probably amount to which side your supporting, and whose goal was disallowed)

Either Pep or Mr Alex are ranting at the ref

At Half and Full Time (including extra time if they/you make it that far)

A penalty is given (A shootout is your call)

Anyone is sent off

From the Second Half onwards

You have to refer to the teams by their nicknames. For referemce, these are La Blaugrana and The Red Devils. “Barca”, “Man U” or even “Man Utd” are not acceptable as nicknames for these purposes.

However if it goes to extra time, revert back to calling them by their proper names to confuse everyone.

Every ten minutes a member of your party (you can make it every five if you have alot of people/you want to get very drunk) can make up a new rule based on how the game is going. So for example, if someone starts doing something regularly, or a commentator mentions something frequently, incorporate it.

Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Last season, Ronaldo’s amazing goal tally might well have meant very little had Leo Messi outshone him in the semi-final. Messi wasn’t properly fit for the first leg at least and only played for an hour, and as neither really shone over the two legs, it was left for Ronaldo to waltz to the biggest honour an individual player can win.

Now though, its the final. 90 minutes, with both fully fit, to decide who actually is the best player in the world, who can do it when the spotlight really is shining on them.

They are two very very good players, there is absolutely no escaping that. If its a stalemate between the two and one of the other gloriously gifted players on show (Eto’o, Xavi, Rooney, Berbatov, Iniesta, Giggs etc) provide the magic that wins their side the title, it probably is Messi who is ahead for the Ballon d’or at the moment. I think that could change if Ronaldo produces a moment to remember though.

The perception of the Portuguese is that he’s had a dissapointing season, but it isn’t really true. Man United have waltzed to the Premier League title on 90 points, won the Carling Cup and the World Club Cup, and he’s been the second highest top scorer in the league after spending a few months on the sidelines at the start.

Messi meanwhile had enjoyed a very good season. Shorn of the in-fighting from last year, Barca have, with the exception of a false start, not put a foot wrong. Between the front three, they’ve scored more goals than the entire Man United side put together. Messi has more than played his part in Barca’s wonderful return to greatness, and they have eased to a Spanish League Title, and cup double.

What is interesting is how they – Ronaldo in particular – divide people. Ronaldo is all vanity, preening and slightly obnoxious, while Messi is the boy next door, who doesn’t look at all stylish but it doesn’t matter because he doesn’t care. But all that is just image.

On the pitch, Ronaldo still is reviled as much as he’s revered because of his percieved cheating. He dives, he rolls around on the ground, he invites fouls, and he looks smug while he does it. He’s seen as classless basically. But anyone who follows La Liga will know that Lil Leo isn’t exactly adverse to breaking the rules either. Classy.

Comparing their attributes on the pitch is interesting, because although at first they seem similar players – even occupying the same position – the way they play is quite different. Messi, left footed playing on the right, likes to cut inside onto his good foot, then go on mazy dribbles, or maybe play a sweet one-two with a team mate to give him space for a shot.

Ronaldo, while he likes to run with the ball, and is very good is arguably not quite got the close control (though he crucially has more strength, when he uses it instead of going down) that Messi has. He does arguably have more to his game though. He’s got a mean cross on him and he is of course, far better in the air.

There used to be the old argument that Ronaldo didn’t show up in the big matches, but I think over the last couple of years he’s shown that isn’t really the case. Goals against Lyon, Roma and Chelsea (though missed penalties in both the latter two) in last season’s Champions League and then goals in all the knockout rounds this time too, I think show that he’s bigger than all that. Anyway, if Eamon Dunphy, previously Ronaldo’s biggest critic can be convinced that he’s “The Real Deal” then I think I can too.

Another level to the rivalry is the classic Nike Vs Adidas element. Messi has his boots paid for by Adidas while Ronaldo is souped by by their big rivals, Nike.

Both have a certain inventiveness, that makes them a joy to watch and what we can really, really hope for is that they both are on song, and we can enjoy a battle between the two finest footballers on planet earth. That’s not too much to ask is it?

Enjoy.