FC Barcelona managed to beat Estudiantes de La Plata with a score of 2-1 to obtain its first World Club Championship title. Regarded as the best club in the world, Barça arrived to Abu Dhabi fully determined to get a trophy that they failed to conquer until then.

Backed by an outstanding performance and showing off their outstanding players, Barcelona came prepared to take it all. Barça closes a 2008-2009 season filled with six outstanding victories, the most notably ones were the Spanish La Liga, Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League and the World Club Championship.

This year is certainly going to be remembered as one of soccer’s finest, with Barcelona winning every championship they could possibly win. This is a feat that no other team has accomplished, and is certainly going to put the team in the spotlight for a while. It seems that the record imposed by Josep Guardiola’s team is going to be unequaled for a while.

In the clash against the Rat Stabbers, the Spanish champions exceeded all expectations. They were facing a brave opponent that since the beginning gave a strong fight.

Estudiantes -the Copa Libertadores champions of 2009- imposed themselves in front of their area with a defense that seemed almost impossible to break. This prompted Barcelona to raise its game to the fullest to mercilessly attack its opponents. It is noteworthy that Estudiantes did a good job holding the heavy onslaught that they were victims of.

The Spanish players focused on trying to pass through Estudiantes defense. While this was happening, the match seemed fairly even, but after 37 minutes the Estudiantes broke their game plan and scored a goal with a good shot by striker Mauro Boselli. With the 1-0 score, the hard-fought first half came to an end.

The second half started with the same excitement than the first. Neither team was willing to give up in the intense battle they had created on the field.

Barça tirelessly sought a chance to tie the game, but in the middle of this, Barça made evident its inability to make aerial plays and long passes. Los Capos de la Plata took advantage of this and began to use high passes to overcome their opponents. Barcelona did little to remedy its weaknesses.

Whenever the Argentine squad had the, the Culé defense was jeopardized. Gerard Piqué and Carles Puyol had to intensify their efforts to control these offensive actions.

Barcelona was not playing comfortably and at times seemed to lose its concentration. This dropped the game’s pace a bit. Both teams were focusing their game in the middle of the pitch for a long period of time.

To solve this, Guardiola replaced midfielder Seydou Keita with forward Pedro Rodriguez. The striker managed to help Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to open up spaces and move easily through the sides. Still, the Blaugranas failed to score in various opportunities. Few minutes later, the Catalans regained their confidence and began to forcefully advance into Estudiantes defensive zone. Pedro received a pass that he rejected with a header and quite rightly sent the ball into Damian Albil’s goal. In this way, the score was tied at minute 89.

Once in overtime, Barcelona looked in better shape than the Estudiantes, who were already a bit disoriented from their fatigue. So, at minute 110, Dani Alves passed the ball to Messi, who immediately sent it rightly to Albil’s goal. That was just enough to seal the score 2-1 in favor of Barcelona, to take their first World Club Championship title.