Outside90’s Rahul Dantes previews Saturday’s Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona. Both teams have already won the double in their respective leagues, and this weekend’s encounter will guarantee one of them a rare treble.
Barcelona overcame tough competition from rivals Real Madrid to claim their 23rd league title by just two points. Not more than a week after ending their successful league season, Luis Enrique’s men won the Copa Del Rey by beating Athletic Bilbao in the final 3-1.
Juventus, on the other hand, enjoyed a much more comfortable league triumph. It finished the season with 87 points in Serie A, a staggering 17 points clear of second-placed Roma. It was the Old Lady’s 31st league title in their decorated history.
Barcelona will boast about its incredible ability to score goals at will, having already managed 28 goals in this season’s Champions League. The Catalonia giants will have full faith in their attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
Massimiliano Allegri’s men, on the contrary, have only scored 16 goals in this year’s competition. Allegri will be hopeful that his men can resist the waves of attack by Barcelona by putting in a commanding defensive performance. They can take pride in the fact that they have only conceded seven goals thus far in the Champions League, but it is not much better in comparison to the nine goals that Barcelona has conceded.
The previous meeting between the two came all the way back in the 2002-03 campaign, with Juventus edging that tie by 3-2 over two legs.
Regardless of all the statistics though, a UEFA Champions final never fails to amaze, and one can be ensured of a thoroughly entertaining match-up between two of Europe’s finest.
Key Battle – Leo Messi vs Andrea Barzagli
It is never easy to pick one key battle when both teams have star-studded line-ups. But with the form Messi is in, it would be illogical to not pick out the Argentine. Messi had a great outing against Bayern Munich in the semi-final, proving to be more than just a pain in the neck for Bayern’s defence – just ask Jerome Boateng.
Barzagli has not played much football this season, appearing only 15 times in all competitions. But with Giorgio Chiellini ruled out with a calf injury, Barzagli will have his moment to shine when he comes up against Messi and co. The 34-year-old was himself struggling with a thigh problem but is expected to start alongside Leonardo Bonucci.
Messi will be keen to take full advantage of Juventus’s reshuffled defense and Barzagli in particular.
Team News
Juventus will be missing vice-captain Chiellini with a calf injury that he sustained in training earlier this week. It is a massive blow for Allegri’s side, who will also be without Martin Caceres, Kwadwo Asamoah and on-loan midfielder Romulo.
Juventus Predicted XI (4-3-3): Buffon (GK); Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Barzagli, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal; Pogba, Morata, Tevez.
Luis Enrique will be more than happy to be able to pick from a complete squad, with no injuries or suspensions to report.
Barcelona Predicted XI (4-3-3): ter Stegen (GK); Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic; Suarez, Messi, Neymar.
Head-to-Head: Saturday’s final will be the 10th meeting between the two sides. Of the previous nine, Juventus has won four of them while Barcelona has won three. The remaining two encounters between the two were tied.
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Prediction
Barca will be firm favourites, but this match will be a much tighter battle than otherwise predicted. Injuries to key players may prove to be Juventus’s downfall, but Barcelona has the goods to win on Saturday and claim the treble.
Juventus 1 Barcelona 3
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