ABH DHABI: Barcelona came from behind to beat dour Estudiantes 2-1 after extra-time on Saturday in a one-sided World Club Cup final, with European Footballer of the Year Lionel Messi chesting in the winning goal 10 minutes away from a penalty shootout.
The same as in Wednesday’s semifinal against Atlante, Barca had to come from behind, but never lost faith with the slick passing game that has made them the toast of Planet Football.
Mauro Boselli had given the Argentines a shock lead, super-substitute Pedro and Messi — who will almost certainly be named World Footballer of the Year on Monday — turned the tables for defiant Barca.
The final whistle in Abu Dhabi was greeted with noisy celebrations throughout the Catalan autonomous region, in scenes reminiscent of last spring.
The triumph crowns an astonishing year for Barca, the most memorable in their proud 110-year history. Josep Guardiola’s sumptuous side has won all six of the trophies that they have competed for, a new record in world football.
Guardiola burst into tears at the end, before being embraced by his euphoric players. All that the young coach could bring himself to say, with characteristic humility, was: “the players deserve this success, it has all been down to them.”
Messi said that he was “absolutely delighted” to have scored the winning goal, though he admitted that “I did not play really well tonight.”
Guardiola gave the little Argentine a free role behind the three strikers, instead of placing him wide on the right as usual. The tactic did not seem to have paid off — until he popped up to score the winning goal.
Barca captain Carles Puyol said “2009 has been an incredible year for us, something really special.”
This is Barca’s first ever world title, at the third attempt. In 2006 they lost the final against Internacional, in 1992 against fellow Brazilians Sao Paulo — with Guardiola in the team.
Guillermo Amor, one of Guardiola’s teammates in 1992, said on Telecinco that Barca “deserved to win ... One cannot ask more of this team than what they have given this year.”
Catalan television channel TV-3 proclaimed Barca “the greatest club side in history.” Daily papers Sport and Mundo Deportivo are busy preparing special Sunday editions to commemorate the historic achievement.
Estudiantes won the world title in 1968, with the infamous team coached by Osvaldo Zubeldia, then lost the 1969 and 1970 finals.
Veteran captain Juan Sebastian Veron recognized that Barca “are a very special team,” but said that “we did as well as we could tonight, and were close to getting a draw.”
Barca dominated from start to finish and was denied a possible penalty in the 33rd minute after goalkeeper Damian Albil had felled Xavi.
In the 38th minute Estudiantes went ahead, completely against the run of play, when lone striker Boselli headed in a clever center from left-back Juan Manuel Diaz.
The one-way traffic continued in the second half, with Estudiantes predictably defending in depth. Little winger Pedro came off the Barca bench and twice came close to equalizing.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic should have scored late on with a simple header that he made a mess off.
Just when the Argentines seemed to have weathered the Barca storm, with just two minutes left, Pedro made it 1-1 with a deft header after Gerard Pique had done well as an emergency center forward.
Pedro has created a new record of his own by scoring in six competitions for Barca this season.
His late equalizer knocked the stuffing out of Estudiantes and Barca’s winning goal in extra-time seemed to be just a question of time.
It came five minutes into the second period, when Messi got on the end of an excellent Dani Alves center and cheekily scored with his chest.
Even so, Estudiantes came close to snatching a draw, and a penalty shootout, at the end when defender Leandro Desabato headed last-gaps Veron free-kick just wide.
Barca will now enjoy a well-earned two weeks’ rest, before trying to make 2010 just as successful as 2009.
