Barcelona return to heroes' welcome

UEFA Champions League winners FC Barcelona enjoyed a spectacular homecoming as hundreds of thousands of ecstatic supporters took the streets of Spain's second largest city to salute their triumphant heroes.

Huge support
Less than 24 hours after their 2-0 victory over Manchester United FC in Rome's Stadio Olimpico, Barça's plane touched down at El Prat airport before Josep Guardiola and Carles Puyol emerged gripping the European Champion Clubs' Cup. The rest of the Barça squad followed the coach and captain as they made their way down the steps of the plane and on to the bus that took them on the scheduled 8km ride through the city centre towards Camp Nou. The trip took more than three hours, with an estimated 750,000 screaming supporters gathering to catch a glimpse of Spain's first treble-winning team.

Dream team
Spanish Prime Minister and self-confessed Barcelona fan José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero offered his tribute to the Azulgrana, calling them "the best in the world" and "a dream team" before explaining the extent of their achievement. "It will be very difficult to see anyone completing another treble like this," he said. Johan Cruyff, coach of the Barcelona side that won the European Cup in 1992, joined in the chorus of praise for Guardiola's team. "It's not only the first time the three trophies have been won by the same team in this country, it's the manner in which they did it: by playing good football throughout the year," he said. "This group always looked to attack and to score goals."

Camp Nou welcome
Having eventually made their way through the Paseo de Colón, the Vía Layetana and La Plaza Catalunya the team arrived into a packed Camp Nou to cheers, booming music and a message on the stadium's big screens that read: "Days, weeks, years and even centuries will pass, but our treble winners will never be forgotten. Gracias tricampeones." Towards the end of the players' two-hour celebration on the pitch, Guardiola grabbed a microphone and offered his appreciation to "all of those who worked in the background doing the thankless tasks and who looked after these guys like they were their own children".

Unforgettable season
Carles Puyol was next to speak with the captain pointing to the Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League silverware set out before him. "You've got them all here now," he said. "Thanks for your help in making this dream a reality." Defender Gerard Piqué then explained: "What we lived through in Rome was truly unforgettable; it's been an historic year," while Xavi Hernández offered: "Now we can say we've made history." Thierry Henry reflected that his first season at the club had represented "a bad year" but after winning "the one trophy I was missing [the UEFA Champions League], I can now call myself a culé". The players subsequently set off on another lap of honour as Coldplay's 'Viva la Vida', the song Guardiola used to inspire his players this term, played out.