Yes we can (soccer way)

They said it was going to be a year of transition. A new manager, a newbie. A demoralized team. A strong and fit archenemy. A huge challenge. And they lost their first game of the season against one of the weakest teams of La Liga. But in the end, today Barcelona is the present king of world soccer.

Just a few times in a lifetime is possible to see so magical moments like the ones lived in Rome. With an excellent game -although not so excellent as everybody though it will be-, FC Barcelona won by two-nil the former European Champions, Manchester United. The difference in the scoreboard reflects the difference of quality on the field.

Before the game, ManU was the favorite. Partly because of the own Barca, with several injured or suspended, specially in the back and forward. Partly because of the English media, that made CR7 Caesar even before arriving to Rome.

But in the end, the modern soccer coliseum was the tomb for ManU and the esctasis for a social mass, the Barcelona supporters, that now can walk proud along the biggest teams in History.

Last night's victory makes Barcelona the first Spanish team to get the triple crown: Spanish League, King's Cup and Champions League, the three major tournaments a SPanish team can be involved in. They are also just the fifth team in all History that achieves that. The others are Celtic, Ajax, ManU and PSV. But of course, it's not the same achieven that in Scotland or Netherlands that doing it in Spain or England.

Last night, the soccer won. It won a style, a way of living this sport, an elegant way of playing it. Seven player of the starting lineup of the Barcelona were from the house. Some of them (like Messi or Pique) are now the reference in their positions in the field.

But also individually, there was some kind of justice. Silvinho and Henry saw the price to a great career with the only title they were lackying. Guardiola, on the other hand, got the privilege of getting into a prestigious club: the one with the players that have won the Champions League both as players and managers. The other two are Cruyff and Rijkaard. Worths saying that all of the three guys won the cup at least once with Barcelona.

But there was some space too for the other side of the coin. CR7 has shown the world before he's just a kid, and last night he did it again. And although in Rome there wasn't any incidents, in Nigeria a ManU supporter killed 4 Barcelona supporters that were celebrating the thriumph.




Photo: EFE/Ettore Ferrari. More photos here.