Barcelona's First Cleaver

When the English referee Howard Webb blew the whistle to start the match, Su Dong kicked the ball to Ribéry inside the penalty area, and Ribéry passed it back to Schweinsteiger in midfield.

Barcelona surged forward, putting Bayern under pressure.

Schweinsteiger switched the ball to the right and handed it to Robben.

Facing Seydou Keita's close pressure on the right wing, the Dutch winger tried to kick the ball toward the byline and beat his man with a nutmeg. But Seydou Keita blocked him, and the ball flew straight out of bounds.

Barcelona's throw-in.

Robben raised his left hand high, signaling that it had been his mistake.

Bayern's three lines immediately retreated, and even Su Dong up front followed them back.

After Barcelona took the throw-in, they moved the ball around deftly, circulating it back and forth through the middle and rear thirds.

Soon, Barcelona opened up a fast route down the right. Alves pushed directly into Bayern's thirty-meter zone, received Xavi's diagonal pass, then laid it off to Messi before quickly surging forward himself.

Messi understood immediately. He received the ball with his back to goal, turned, and passed toward the right-side byline where Alves was advancing.

Alves raced forward and sent a right-footed cross straight into the goalmouth.

Ibrahimovic quickly followed into the box, while Pepe stuck to him like glue. They both swung their legs at once—one trying to shoot, the other trying to clear. The ball struck Ibrahimovic's leg, changed direction off Pepe, and was blocked away by the Portuguese center-back. Pepe quickly chased it down and launched it upfield with a powerful clearance.

In the stands, Bayern's supporters visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Although many people felt that Ibrahimovic could not fit into Barcelona, his performances and statistics for the club had not been