Masterclass Barca

It's not often that Alex Ferguson is described as gracious in defeat, but then again, it's not often he gets so comprehensively beaten.

Throughout a quarter century of managing Manchester United, we've seen Fergie blamed defeat on everything from lumpy pitches to the color of his own team's jersey; and now he was beaming while collecting a loser's medal in the Champions League final?

The simple explanation for this strange phenomenon, this cosmic aberration, would be that there was no shame, no insult, to being beaten by the best team ever-even for the great Ferguson.

Now I wouldn't be a good judge about the whole "best team ever" tag, having never seen the great Liverpool, Ajax, AC Milan or Real Madrid teams of old, but I'll be damned if they were better than this Barcelona side.

This is the team that most of them have been growing together in La Masia. Most of them are geniuses in their positions, technically and tactically and collectively as a team. AND with Pep Guardiola. PLUS Leo Messi. He is unique. A one-off.

To my surprise was the way Manchester United played their game. It appeared that they were beaten the same way as in the 2009 Final. I guess Fergie just couldn't played like Jose Mourinho or any other second-tier La Liga teams that always camp an Air Bus in front of their goals in order not to lose by big margin.

It is wonderful to be a Cule. I am glad to live in this era to be able to enjoy football. Barca's football. Their performance will live long in the memory of all who saw it.