Stadio Olimpico hosted the final
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Tournament details | |
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Dates | 16 September 2008 – 27 May 2009 (competition proper) |
Teams | 32 (group stage) 76 (total) |
Final positions | |
Champions | Barcelona (3rd title) |
Runners-up | Manchester United |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 125 |
Goals scored | 329 (2.63 per match) |
Attendance | 5,004,467 (40,036 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | Lionel Messi (9 goals) |
The 2008–09 UEFA Champions League was the 54th edition of Europe's premier club football tournament and the 17th edition under the current UEFA Champions League format. The final was played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009. It was the eighth time the European Cup final has been held in Italy and the fourth time it has been held at the Stadio Olimpico. The final was contested by the defending champions, Manchester United, and Barcelona, who had last won the tournament in 2006. Barcelona won the match 2–0, with goals from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi, securing The Treble in the process. In addition, both UEFA Cup finalists, Werder Bremen and Shakhtar Donetsk featured in the Champions League group stage.
Anorthosis of Cyprus and BATE Borisov of Belarus were the first teams from their respective countries to qualify for the group stage. Romanian side CFR Cluj and Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg also made their Champions League debuts.