Joyous fans throng Barcelona after Barca win

Barcelona – Thousands of joyous fans took to the streets of Barcelona on Wednesday after the Catalan club defeated Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final in Rome.

Barca fans had already twice gorged on success in recent days after their team won the Spanish title and lifted the Spanish Cup but the completion of an historic treble had supporters dancing in delirium once more down the city’s Ramblas thoroughfare.

Many fans draped themselves in the dark red and blue of their club and let off fireworks and honked horns to celebrate a win achieved courtesy of goals in either half from Samuel Eto’o and Leo Messi.

The triumph was Barca’s third after 1992 and 2006.

"I am so happy, we deserved this victory. We’re going to stay out all night as long as the police don’t move us on," said one young fan, Jordi, at the Canaletes fountain on the Ramblas, where fans traditionally celebrate.

Fans aside, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero who attended the Champions League final match in Rome with King Juan Carlos was full of praises for the winning team. He hailed Barcelona as the "dream team" and predicted the country would now do the treble and win the World Cup, after taking Euro 2008 and on Wednesday the Champions League.

"Spanish football is very strong," a beaming Zapatero told Spanish television.

"We’ve won the European Cup, today the Champions League and now we will win the World Cup."

"It is a dream team," he said referring to the Barcelona players.

"It was a great match and one in which Barca’s superiority was evident. Barcelona has shown that it is the best team in Europe. The team have won three titles this season, and that is very difficult."

Zapatero – a Barcelona supporter – singled out for praise midfielder Andres Iniesta.

"I told him ‘you’re a great player and an extraordinary person," Zapatero said.

AFP / Expatica