Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova explained the reasons behind Lionel Messi sitting out the entire Champions League semifinal second leg against Bayern Munich, while Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes hailed his side's efforts, while acknowledging the fact that the Spanish side are not the same without their talisman Messi in the side.
Bayern Munich were ruthless and clinical and picked up from where they had left off in the first leg, to thrash Barcelona 3-0 at the Camp Nou and 7-0 on aggregate to advance to the Champions League final.
Messi did not play a single minute of the semifinal second leg, with Vilanova choosing to keep the world's player of the year on the bench after he complained of pain in his knee.
"Lionel Messi played in Bilbao (in La Liga at the weekend) because he felt better," Vilanova said. "In the final stages of that game he noticed a strange sensation but there wasn't an injury.
"He wasn't feeling well although he was training. He felt that in that condition he couldn't help the team. It's normal that you would notice an absentee like Messi."
With Barcelona having pretty much sealed the La Liga title, maybe Vilanova should have taken a risk with Messi by sending him on at the start of the second half, but then with the way Bayern were playing, even the great man might have found it difficult to chart a way back for his side.
"Congratulations to Bayern on reaching the final -- they really demonstrated the level they're at," Vilanova added. "I would like to thank our fans for backing us until the end.
"My team stood up to the challenge all the way through. I told them not to drop their heads and we competed well in the first half. Without doubt the goal Bayern scored at the start of the second hurt us a lot and was the killer blow."
Barca needed to fire four unanswered goal in the second leg to at least take the tie to extra time, but after a goalless first half where Bayern were the much better side, an early Arjen Robben strike in the second half put the game to bed before, Gerard Pique's own goal and Thomas Muller's header added the gloss.
"I think it was clear that my team entered this game extremely focused," Heynckes said. "We played great right from the start. There's no denying Barcelona are a different team without Messi. Even so, I'm sure no one expected us to win 7-0 on aggregate.
"I know Spanish football very well, especially Barcelona. I know the way they like to play and their philosophy. My team understood our tactical approach very well and they executed it perfectly.
"Our organisation was superb and we got Robben in a one-on-one situation, which he loves. That first goal was obviously the decisive moment in the game."
Heynckes and co. will now turn their attentions to the final at Wembley where they will play rivals Borussia Dortmund, who got past Real Madrid in the semifinals.
The two sides incidentally meet in the Bundesliga this weekend, which is sure to act as a dress rehearsal for the showpiece event on May 25.
"Dortmund deserve to be in the final as they are having a great season as well," the Bayern manager added. "Sure, it's a bit of a surprise that they reached the final.
"I obviously hope we can be successful at Wembley. We will now reflect on what we achieved tonight, enjoy the moment and then turn our attention to the Dortmund game at the weekend."
