This season definitely have to end like this - a great performance put forward but got kicked out of Champions League royally. A fourteenth minute screamer from Paul Scholes was enough to damn Barcelona to their second consecutive trophy less season. Paul Scholes might have done enough to end Rijkaard's career at Barcelona also. There is a sense of desperation among all the Barcelona fans, but honestly speaking we didn't deserve to win anything this season. Our team never looked committed or determined to do that. Barcelona had one change from their first leg - Puyol coming in for suspended Marquez. Manchester United was forced to drop Rooney, because of injury and bring on Tevez and that played a crucial part in the game. Nani also made into the starting eleven. In my preview to the Deportivo match, I have written that it would be good to give Messi more time on the field, I was proven right. Even though he had a great night, he could not gel properly with other players. Barcelona looked more settled in the initial exchanges. Messi made an excellent run into the box in the first minute; Scholes has to commit a foul to stop him. Zambrotta was in total control of the Ronaldo situation, he never allowed Ronaldo any decent possession. But in the 14th minute Zambrotta robbed Ronaldo off the ball and made the biggest mistake of his life when he gave the ball away to Scholes. Paul Scholes, who have an history of creating goals from long range did not make any mistake there. I would say it was very unfortunate for Barcelona to concede that goal, any other day it would have sailed past the cross bar. After that as usual Barcelona panicked. Manchester United with all its claim of being the best attacking side in business started playing the English way - Get a goal some how and put eleven players in the box. In the 29th minute Puyol had to intervene to clear a Ronaldo header to safety. With the half time approaching Barcelona started to look once again settled. In the 38th minute Evra made a crucial intervention denying Eto a clear cut chance when Van Der Saar failed to hold on to Messi's cross.
Barcelona started the second half pretty much confidently. Some beautiful runs were made but none could pierce the Manchester defense. On the other end Valdez have to bring a decent save from Tevez. The rest of the half resembled Barcelona's effort at Nou Camp; could not pierce a packed ManU box, they were getting frustrated. Henry and Bojan were introduced but nothing changes the tide. In the end it can be said that Sir Alex's side were deserved to go through. They may not have played the beautiful football, but they played the effective football. But as for the question of "who is the best player in the planet now?” It looks like there is only one answer - Lionel Messi. He may not have scored the goal but that was mainly because his team mates never supported him.