As promised, Pep Guardiola stayed true to his unflinching word as Barcelona used their panache to beat Manchester United 2-0 in the Champions League final.
The 38-year-old rookie coach promised flair and bravado for Wednesday’s final and his team delivered at the Stadio Olimpico.
“If you’re brave, if you press ahead, that’s the best chance,” Guardiola said. “There’s nothing riskier than not to risk.”
Only the sixth man to win Europe’s top competition as a player (1992) and coach, he said the Spanish champions would attack from the opening whistle.
They never relented.
“We attacked, we defended and we won,” Guardiola said. “We wanted to be able to say that we played and were not cowards and we made it.”
Samuel Eto’o’s 10th-minute goal set the Catalans on their way and Lionel Messi sealed the victory with a 70th-minute header.
“We had chances, they have chances, and at the end we have control of the game and this is good for us,” Guardiola said. “Because without the ball we are a horrible team, a disaster team.”
Barca joined United, Ajax, Celtic and PSV Eindhoven as the only clubs to achieve the treble — the Champions League and domestic league and cup.
Not bad for a 38-year-old coach in his debut season.
Barcelona won the Spanish league with a record points haul and added a record 25th Copa del Rey title.
“It’s a great achievement, first year as a coach,” United counterpart Alex Ferguson said. “Well done.”
United were chasing their fourth European Cup title, and fourth trophy this season after winning the Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup and League Cup.
Guardiola had one last request for Barcelona fans in the Italian capital as he expected them to celebrate into the night — also show some class.
“Please do not break any windows or traffic lights,” he said.
■BARCA GAMBLE PAYS OFF
AFP, MADRID
Barcelona took a huge gamble in hiring Pep Guardiola last season to restore the club’s fortunes after two years without any silverware under Franck Rijkaard.
But the club’s former captain, a Catalan born-and-bred, has come up trumps in his debut season, surpassing all expectations.
Many had felt Guardiola was a risk as he had no top-flight managerial experience but people inside Camp Nou raved about his work with the youth team and he was handed the high-profile, top job last summer.
He already had a huge reputation at Barcelona after captaining Johan Cruyff’s “dream team.”
A product of the club’s youth program, he played for Barcelona from 1990 to 2001. He also won 47 caps for his country.
He retired as a player in 2006 after six months with Mexican club Dorados de Sinaloa.
As manager at Barca, Guardiola made a smart move early on in getting rid of the underperforming Ronaldinho and Deco.
He then bought well with Dani Alves and Seydou Keita arriving from Sevilla and Gerard Pique captured from Manchester United.
However, it was a difficult start in La Liga for Guardiola who collected just one point from the first six — Barca’s worst start since 1974.
He didn’t panic and results came, wrapped up in a thrilling brand of “total” football in the style of Cruyff.
“Winning is always the target but an attractive, attacking game pleases the public,” Guardiola said.
With the trio of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta wreaking havoc, Barca tore teams to shreds and the work-rate and will to win was in stark contrast to the lackluster displays under Rijkaard for the previous two seasons.
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