Very brief notes on (the first 68 minutes and little bits thereafter of)† Barcelona vs. Bayern Munich

• There comes a time in Pro Evolution Soccer when you build up your Master League team to such a standard that matches become too easy: when you're playing on autopilot yet still having 80% possession, barely noticing that you have just scored half a dozen goals; when you realise it's probably time to play at a higher difficulty level. (Unless you're like me and you're already at the highest level. *Sigh*) That's kind of what this game felt like. Barcelona were that good and Bayern were that bad. One almost entered into a meditative state watching this, before jolting oneself back into full consciousness with the realisation that no matter how the rest of this season pans out for Barcelona, this is a team to savour while you have the chance.


• Bayern were that bad, though.


• Pep Guardiola has been very impressive thus far, and he became even more so to this observer when he was sent from the line for protesting the yellow card shown to Lionel Messi for diving. But then, I come from a family of touchline-shouter-fromers, so that kind of thing impresses me on a profound level. I'm not proud of it, but hey. And it was no yellow card. If Messi ends up missing the final...


• Speaking of Messi, the brain spasm suffered by a defender whenever Messi has possession near him is one of life's great pleasures.


• But Bayern's defenders suffered brain spasms whenever Henry got the ball, either, or when Iniesta had it on the left after Henry went off. Now, those players are excellent, but remember...


• Bayern really were that bad.

† Unreliable streams, yadda yadda.