Farewell Defeat Disappoints Edwin

Edwin van der Sar is disappointed to have ended his career with UEFA Champions League heartache but is grateful for his career memories.

The Dutch keeper will retire this summer and was hoping to bow out in triumphant style on the biggest stage against Barcelona at Wembley on Saturday.

The Catalans spoiled his party, though, as goals from Pedro, Lionel Messi and David Villa helped secure a comfortable 3-1 win for Pep Guardiola's men.

Former Juventus player van der Sar celebrated winning the Premier League last weekend, but could not hide his disappointment at missing out on a fairytale finish.

"(I played) one game too many I think, it is not nice to lose of course," he said. "It is not always a given, I thank everyone for the memories."

Van der Sar does not deny United were second best and feels the English club needed to score the first goal if they were ever to defeat a formidable Barcelona side.

"They had the better chances and we made one or two mistakes and they punish you," he said. "They are very good, you have to try and score the first goal and we didn't do that."

The 40-year-old's positioning for Messi's goal, which handed Barca the lead for the second time in the match, was questionable.

Van der Sar, though, denies being at fault and suggests an element of surprise is what got the better of him as Messi drilled home from outside the area.

"I thought I was positioned well," he said. "He tends to curl it into the far post but he didn't."