Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson described his men's defending as "shoddy" after Barcelona's third Champions League victory.

Ferguson tore into his defenders after the 2-0 defeat ended his team's chance of making history at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored the goals for Barcelona and while Ferguson did not name the culprits he clearly had Nemanja Vidic in mind when he said: "In our best performances this season we have defended very well, but the defending was shoddy.

"The first goal didn't help. It gave them the opportunity to keep possession. We didn't plan to lose a goal early and we didn't deal with it well enough. That was the story. To lose a goal like that was a bad goal. It was a disappointing performance and some individuals will feel it themselves."

United were hoping to become the first club to successfully defend the trophy in its current format and Ferguson threw on Carlos Tevez for Anderson and Dimitar Berbatov for Park Ji-Sung in a bid to turn the match around in the second-half.

But Ferguson was outfoxed tactically by Pep Guardiola - the first man to win the Champions League as a player and a manager with the same club - who had withdrawn Messi from his wide berth up front to reinforce midfield and it gave the Spaniards dominance.

It could have been more embarrassing for United as Xavi Hernandez struck a post and Thierry Henry and Carles Puyol brought fine saves from Van der Sar in a pulsating second half.

Ferguson said: "The disappointment was the use of the ball when we got possession. You have to wait minutes to get it back off them. Could be it was an off night. Could be it was a mountain too big to climb.

"We knew what a good football team they were. We had difficulty in defending against them. Messi dropped into midfield and they kept possession and made it difficult for us."

Cristiano Ronaldo collected a yellow card for a foul on Puyol and it was a disappointing match for the United winger who went close with a couple of long-range shots but too often let his exasperation get the better of him.

Ferguson also admitted United missed the protective presence of Darren Fletcher in midfield who was suspended after being sent off harshly against Arsenal in the semi-final.

However, Ferguson praised Guardiola's squad, saying: "You have to give credit to a very good Barcelona team. If they get in front of you they are very difficult to beat. They kept possession of the ball and made it very difficult to get back.

"When we did get possession we didn't do well with it. Credit to them, the better team won."

And on the Barca coach, Ferguson added: "It is a great achievement as a coach in his first year. Well done. Fantastic. Everybody enjoys their football and it is great credit to him."

Meanwhile, Guardiola hailed Messi as the world's best player - with United's Ronaldo largely ineffective apart from an early flourish - saying: "He has done great. I think he is the best player and we didn't need to win to know he is the best."

And Messi, who scored his ninth goal of the Champions League campaign and improved his chances of snatching away his rival's Fifa World Player of the Year crown, said: "This is the most important win of my life. I am the happiest man alive and I am happy for myself, for my family and for my country."

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