There were only two people in Rome who weren't completely sucked in by the enthralling action of the 2009 Champions League final.
The first was the very desperate housewife, Eva Longoria, who was caught flicking through a magazine during the second-half with the same look of disdain and despair as Maniche faced with a Caesar salad.
The other was the lead commentator for Spanish TV channel Antena 3, who spent much of the match apologising for the pesky encounter getting in the way of their broadcasting of crap cop show Los Hombres de Paco.
Indeed, as soon as the final whistle went on what was a fairly historic night for a certain Catalan club, the channel blocked the screen with a plug for the programme and went off for advertisements for a good 45 minutes. ThatâÂÂs how it felt, anyway.
NEWS: Brilliant Barça crowned kings in Rome
Fortunately for Antena 3, the ending of this seasonâÂÂs fantastic footballing finale means that the station can return to its normal, low-budget, wobbly-set, grubby little ways.
While La Liga Loca was all with the ire after yet another testing time in front of the television, nothing - bar the Spanish government renaming Catalunya âÂÂRaúllandiaâ - can bring the Catalan press down from their cuckoo-land cloud on Thursday morning.
âÂÂEmperors of Europe!â yells the Mundo Deportivo headline, with the paper reporting that some 100,000 celebrating supporters turned up in the city-centre before the inevitable attacks on the local plod and the 134 arrests.
"Celebrate good times, come on!"
La Liga Loca has no idea what the paperâÂÂs website says, as the sheer volume of whizzing and popping from its numerous epilepsy-inducing logos and banners caused the blogâÂÂs struggling browser to crash repeatedly.
Sport's front page says âÂÂThe best in the world!â in Catalan. At least thatâÂÂs what La Liga Loca thinks it says. ItâÂÂs either that or âÂÂThe flour of your mother!âÂÂ
âÂÂBarcelona is the best team in the world and only the Champions League was missing for this fact to be beyond discussion,â writes a hyperventilating Josep Maria Casanovas in a giant-sized gushing tribute to PepâÂÂs Dream Boys.
Over in Madrid, Marca and AS are just as full of goodwill to all Catalan men - but ruing the fact that while Barcelona were celebrating the greatest day in the clubâÂÂs history, the police were camped out at Castle Greyskull investigating corruption allegations.
âÂÂBarcelonaâÂÂs football had no antidote,â writes AS editor Alfredo Relaño. âÂÂThe Treble, exquisite football, local players, Guardiola... perfection.âÂÂ
Pep reaches for the stars
MarcaâÂÂs headline declares the current Barcelona team to be âÂÂa work of artâ and praises the first ever Spanish side to win the trio of titles in one season.
âÂÂThere can be no doubts,â opines the paperâÂÂs editorial. âÂÂBarcelona are the best team in the world.âÂÂ
Bernd Schuster had been let loose on Manchester UnitedâÂÂs tactical deficiencies during the game, with the former Madrid manager telling Sir Alex Ferguson that âÂÂyou canâÂÂt play that away against Barça, so far back, with such fear, just waiting for them to come.âÂÂ
After the game, a truly stunned Pep Guardiola joked that he would be âÂÂLeaving the club straight away. I canâÂÂt do anything to top this.âÂÂ
In fact, thatâÂÂs not entirely true. Next yearâÂÂs Champions League final is being played at the Bernabeu - a final that Barcelona already have every chance of winning.
Now that would be a sight to see.
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