10 years since the Champions League win at Wembley

10 years since the Champions League win at Wembley

A decade has passed since FC Barcelona lifted their fourth trophy with a performance for the ages in the famous London stadium

It is a memory that live on the in the mind of every Barça fan: the Champions League victory at Wembley on 28 May 2011. Not just because it was the fourth time Barça had lifted the famous trophy, but also because of the fantastic display of football they put on that day in the famous London stadium and for the great gesture from captain Carles Puyol. 

It all started when Víctor ValdésAbidalPiquéMascheranoDani AlvesBusquetsXaviIniestaPedroMessi and Villa took the field. Josep Guardiola's starting XI would go on to make history. 

The culers surprised a Manchester United side coached by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. Wayne Rooney's equaliser after Pedro had put Barça ahead proved to be a false dawn for the Premier League side as Guardiola's team went to dominated the encounter. 

Leo Messi restored Barça's lead at 2-1 with an excellent strike and an even better one from David Villa sealed the blaugranes' victory in London. 

Abidal

The victory was accompanied by a wonderful gesture from Carles Puyol. The then FC Barcelona captain allowed Éric Abidal the honour of lifting the trophy after the French defender had recovered from an operation to remove a liver tumour. That moment brought even greater pride to the occasion for Barça fans, the fourth Champions League win in the Club's history. 

Puyol warmed the hearts of many when he passed the honour of lifting the Champions League to Abidal

It was the second time that FC Barcelona had lifted the trophy at the famous Wembley Stadium. In 1992 Johan Cruyff's Barça recorded the Club's first ever win in the competition, giving yet more poignancy to that victory 10 years ago today. 

The blaugranes would go on to claim the title once again in 2015 but that 28 May 2011 will always be remembered as one of the greatest exhibition's of football in the history of the game. 

Força Barça
Força Barça

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