The final of the 13th European Championship between Germany and Spain kicked off at 8.45 pm on Sunday with Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi in Luis Aragonés’s starting XI.
Right from when Roberto Rosetti got the game underway both sides were looking to get forward, though Germany had the best of the play in the first 15 minutes with Casillas being forced to make fine save from Schweinsteiger.

Spain strikes

Then Spain started to get more into the game with Torres hitting the post, Capdevila having a shot and a drive from Cesc which tested the German’s goalkeeper, Lehman. Then in the 32nd minute Torres made it 1-0 to Spain, latching onto a superb pass from Xavi into space and using strength, speed and skill to get past Lahm and chip the ball over Lehman into the German goal.
Casillas tested

Spain began the second half with a wave of attacks which the Germans did well to repel. Then they went on the offensive themselves with half an hour left, and both Ballack and Kuranyi tested Iker Casillas.

Xavi and Iniesta crucial

Even though the Germans were pushing forward, the Spanish continued to create chances with Xavi and Iniesta playing a key role. Xavi took a superb free-kick which Ramos was about to put away when Lehman intervened, while Iniesta had fine chance to make it 2-0 only for the German keeper to save again.

Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol win Euro 2008

Neither side was prepared to sit back and accept the result, with the Germans desperately trying to equalise and Spain seeking the goal that would put them virtually out of sight. In spite of the efforts of the Germans, Spain created lots of chances playing excellent football and Joachim Low’s men were unable to get the goal they needed. After 90 intense minutes of attacking football, Spain won the European Championship for the first time in 44 years, marking the end of a tournament in which Iniesta, Xavi and Puyol have given fine performances.

Barcelona, the city of progress, design and architecture will soon extend this vision to the district of Les Corts in the form of the British architect’s new design for the football stadium. The new Camp Nou will reflect the past, present and future of Barcelona, Catalonia and modernity’s architectural identity.

Three sources of inspiration

In the words of Norman Foster himself on the day that the model of Barça’s new home was presented, three main elements inspired his restructuring project: the club’s history, the stadium itself and the link between Barcelona, its city and its country. Taken together, this inspiration is manifested in the form a Gaudi-esque mosaic on the façade and roof that will offer dramatic effects at night and pleasant, bright colours by day.

Local influence

Foster’s intention was for the new Camp Nou to be an icon, and at the same time a tribute to Catalan architecture in the form of an allegory to Barcelona and Catalonia. Foster’s inspirations are a synthesis of different traditional and modern influences taken from constructions that already exist in the city, and that help ensure that the Camp Nou will remain an essential part of any sightseeing tour of the city of Barcelona.

In this sense, the international recognition acquired by Barcelona as a result of the Olympic Games in 1992 is particularly worthy of mention. Since the city was announced as the host, Barcelona pulled out all the stops to seduce the world. It has been mainly since then that Barcelona, through such buildings as the Torre de Collserola and the Torre Agbar, among many others, has transformed as it continues to hold major events. The city and its main thoroughfares have been transformed as a result of these events, although its icons are not the cause of this transformation, but rather the consequence.

Naturally, Barcelona FC is best acclaimed for its La Liga (League of Professional Football) team. It is additionally able-bodied accepted for the Barcelona B, its assets football team. The club additionally incorporates four added pro sports teams � it has broadcast into roller hockey, handball, basketball and calm football (futsal). These teams abrasion the aforementioned colors and are subsidised by the football section. Among them are FC Barcelona � Cifec and Winterthur FCB.

Football Club Barcelona was founded in 1899 by Joan Gamper. He was built-in in a Swiss canton, and called beach and dejected as the official aggregation colors because they were the colors of that canton. The club additionally includes several accomplished abecedarian sports teams aggressive at wheelchair basketball, women’s basketball, women’s football, and rugby.

Prior to 2005 Barca banned to affection advocacy logos on aggregation uniforms. The aggregation colors are believed to represent Catalonia and logos were advised intrusive. In 2005 the aggregation began to abrasion the logo of Catalonia TV. Recently the players accept beat a attribute of the Catalan banderole on their shorts, reinforcing the associations of the club with Catalonia.

At aboriginal the club alone had 11 players. In the years afterwards its founding it bound acquired a abundant acceptability on the Spanish football scene. The aggregation took allotment in the aboriginal Copa del Rey and the aboriginal Catalan Championship.

Joan Gamper became club admiral in 1908. He spent 25 years at the fore, accepting been appointed to this position assorted times in the club’s history. The club accustomed its own amphitheater during his tenure, which was his capital accomplishment as president. Barcelona had over 10 000 associates by 1922. Gamper active allegorical players like Josep Samitier and Ricardo Zamora. These players helped win the aboriginal Professional Alliance championship in 1929.

The club’s animosity with Real Madrid goes aback a continued way. This is hardly surprsing, as adamantine animosity generally advance amid the two best teams in a civic league. Ever back the alpha the clubs were believed to represent the two battling Spanish cities, Castile and Catalonia. The animosity accomplished a new akin during the absolutist administration of Franco. Real Madrid was admired as the administration team, while Barcelona was advised the action team.

2005 was a amazing year for Barca, with an arrival of new and accomplished football players like Deco, Eto’o, Giuly, and of advance Ronaldinho, who was voted Footballer of the Year. The aggregation additionally boasts a accumulation of accomplished professionals, such as Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rafael Márquez, and Henrik Larsson. Due to their accumulated efforts Barca won the Professional Alliance antagonism and the Supercup of Spain in 2005. 2006 has additionally started on a aerial agenda for the team. Barca won the UEFA Champions Alliance on May 17, 2006. This is their additional UEFA championship achievement in history (the added was in 1992). On May 3, 2006, Barcelona won their 18th La Liga title. They emerged as the ascendant champions of Spain.

The team’s above trophies accommodate four victories of the European Cup Winners Cup (1979, 1982, 1989, 1997), three victories of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1958, 1960, 1966), two victories of the European Super Cup (1992, 1997), and two Copa Latina victories (1949, 1952).