Futsal crown fits Barcelona nicely

Having already helped Spain win UEFA Futsal EURO 2012 as tournament top scorer, Torras found himself a champion again just two months later after he walked the ball into the goal to clinch FC Barcelona's first UEFA Futsal Cup on Sunday.

Barcelona had stormed through their first European campaign to reach the finals, which they were selected to host in Lleida, ensuring fervent support as they travelled into the heart of Catalonia. They stormed past another famous footballing name, Sporting Clube de Portugal, in the semi-finals and the late Torras strike ensured a 3-1 defeat of 2007 victors MFK Dinamo Moskva not long after the Russian side had pulled a goal back.

It may have been Barça's debut but they did not want for experience. Torras, Gabriel and Javi Rodríguez had all won the trophy before and that trio were among several FIFA Futsal World Cup winners from Spain and Brazil in the squad. And, of course, their club had previously captured European titles in many sports, including, it goes without saying, football.

For both nights of the finals the 5,000-seater Pavelló Barris Nord was packed and rocking, the atmosphere not dampened by Barcelona's surprise UEFA Champions League exit earlier the same week. Coach Marc Carmona said: "I had my doubts about taking the finals here [to Lleida] but they were gone on Friday, and [the final] was especially spectacular. The fans helped us win the cup." His team were masterful in the final from the moment man of the match Wilde shot them ahead in the second minute, a goal made by Lin who was to make it 2-0 not long after the break.

Dinamo's side included several survivors of their triumph in Murcia five years ago while their coach, Faustino Pérez, had led a Playas de Castellón FS team including Rodríguez to the first two UEFA Futsal Cups in 2002 and 2003. Not surprisingly, they did not let the deficit or the atmosphere get to them and pulled a goal back with three minutes left through the experienced Aleksandr Rakhimov. But with Tatù on as flying keeper there was no one to stop Torras when Ari brilliantly kept the ball in play and supplied his team-mate.

Still, it was a fine return to Europe for Dinamo, who had been absent since finishing among the top four for the fifth year running in 2009. They reached the finals with a last-gasp Cirilo goal against Iberia Star Tbilisi – the nearest the only 11-season tournament ever-presents had come to qualifying – and then overcame Italy's Marca Futsal with a clinical display and 3-0 victory in the last four.

Debutants Marca had ousted the holders, their Italian rivals ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5, in the elite round and had the consolation of a penalty shoot-out win for bronze against 2011 runners-up Sporting, themselves beaten 5-1 by Barcelona in the semis. But the trophy itself returned to Spain, Barcelona emulating Pérez's Playas and sole triple champions Interviú Madrid.