Arrests were made mainly for public disorder, vandalism and disobeying police orders in Barcelona, while 15 other people were apprehended in the Catalan towns of Lleida, Tarragona, Girona, Granollers and Igualada.

Trouble had also flared at previous celebrations in Barcelona earlier this month after the team won the Copa del Rey and then the Spanish league title.

An estimated 100,000 jubilant supporters gathered at the Canaletes fountain on Las Ramblas, the traditional site for celebrating the club's wins, soon after the team won 2-0 over 2008 Champions League winners Man United in Rome on Wednesday.

Some lit flares and set off fireworks to toast a victory that meant Barcelona had become the first Spanish team to win the treble of Europe's top club competition together with the domestic league and cup in a single season.

Only four European teams have previously achieved the feat -- United, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Celtic.

Barcelona, which has now won the Champions League three times, was expected to be greeted by thousands of supporters at the city's El Prat airport later Thursday.

The team was then scheduled to travel on an open-topped bus in a parade through the city to its Camp Nou stadium.

On Thursday, Spain's press hailed Barcelona and its first-season coach, 38-year-old Pep Guardiola, for the greatest season in the club's history.

National El Pais said Barcelona "crowns itself the best team in the world," while sports daily Marca described the Catalan team as "a work of art."

Sports daily As added: "Actually, yes, perfection does exist," in praise of the Catalan team's silky skills.

Guardiola, the sixth man to have won the European Cup as both player and coach, received lavish praise.

"No coach in the world has achieved what Pep has in his first season. How do we thank Pep for changing the dynamics of the dressing room and producing the best football ever seen?" asked Barcelona-based daily Sport.

Barcelona has the chance to win three more titles later this year.

In August, it plays Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup and Shakhtar Donetsk in the European Super Cup. Guardiola's team will then compete in December for the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.