Barcelona will reign as champions of European football for a record fifth time following a stylish 3-1 win over Juventus in Berlin on Sunday morning.
The Catalans’ superstar firepower proved the difference once again, with Luis Suarez and Neymar both finding the net after Ivan Rakitic opened the scoring within the opening five minutes.
Right out of the gates, there was hardly a spare moment to blink as both teams immediately looked to gain an upper hand. Barcelona would get the better of this early exchange, however. A razor sharp counter-attack on the left wing ending with Iniesta laying the ball off for Rakitic to finish from close range.
The Bianconeri never slouched by any means though, fighting their way back into the contest with some Gianluigi Buffon heroics that were only fitting for the situation. This kept the score at 1-0 going into the break. A deserved equaliser came 10 minutes after the restart when Alvaro Morata was left with an easy follow-up from a Carlos Tevez strike.
But the Blaugrana would not leave the result in the balance for long, and who better than the Little Master to provide the spark to regain control? Lionel Messi’s solo-run down the centre of the pitch almost deserved a goal on its own, although Buffon could only parry it back into the path of Suarez, who made it 2-1 in the 68th minute. While Juventus tried to mount another comeback, time was not on its side and it was left to Neymar to put the icing on the proverbial cake in the final seconds of stoppage time.
Formations
There had been one simple question surrounding Massimiliano Allegri’s team heading into the game: would the Juve defence be able to hold back the force of Barcelona’s star trio? Lining up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, strategically the coach did everything possible to create a barrier in front of goal, with veteran Stephan Lichsteiner leading a stellar defence and the iconic Buffon between the posts.
Juventus XI (4-3-2-1): Buffon (GK); Lichsteiner, Barzagli, Bonucci, Evra; Marchisio, Pirlo, Pogba; Vidal, Tevez; Morata.
Luis Enrique’s starting XI was as formidable as always, but somewhat reflected a changing of the guard for the Catalans. Youngster Marc-Andre ter Stegen held onto the custodian role while the pace and creativity of Rakitic was preferred over team stalwart Xavi in midfield. A wide 4-3-3 formation was utilised by the manager, while Neymar, Suarez and Messi providing the targets up-front.
FC Barcelona XI (4-3-3): Ter Stegen; Alba, Mascherano, Pique, Dani Alves; Iniesta, Busquets, Rakitic; Neymar, Suarez, Messi
Sublime ball movement key for Barca victory
Big occasions draw the best from the true football superstars, and up against possibly the most miserly defence in Europe, Barcelona showed why it sits among the elite of the sport. Playmakers Iniesta, Rakitic, Neymar and Messi were all pushing out wide and finding yards of space on the wings. When in possession, every pass of the ball was incisive and built up a rhythm that Juventus was unable to match, both the first and last goals being created from the left-flank.
As shown in the graphic, Barcelona’s passing was pinpoint accurate and the dominance of the wings was somewhat unexpected by the opposition coach. Even the defence which shut down Real Madrid looked a step too slow at times, and with the amount of chances that were afforded to the likes of Suarez and Neymar, 3-1 was probably a fitting result.
Constricted Bianconeri find it hard to connect
Any hopes of holding the Blaugrana to a clean sheet were quickly shot to pieces, but to a degree it seemed that the Serie A title holders may have been a little too respectful of the opposition’s reputation for scoring goals. On numerous occasions there would be all 10 outfield players sitting behind the ball in their own half, leaving Barcelona looking rather relaxed and passing the ball among its defenders.
There was not enough pressure on the ball coming from Allegri’s men, and although Paul Pogba was lively in taking the ball down the left, the majority of attacking moves would fizzle out when Tevez was the only target inside the box.
Not to mention the mix of empathy and disappointment that surely was felt by thousands watching around the world at how little of the ball Andrea Pirlo saw in dangerous situations. The Old Lady’s key playmaker was largely stifled behind the halfway line for most of the match, with most of his forward passes cut out and only three from ten of the Italian maestro’s crosses were successful.
Juventus Conclusion
Coming up one rung short on the ladder must be up there with the worst feelings in football and even if just for nostalgia, there were many neutral onlookers who were hoping to see the likes of Buffon and Pirlo finally lift the European trophy as teammates for the first time. But the 2014-15 campaign must still go down as nothing less than a resounding success for the Bianconeri, winning two trophies and re-cementing their dominance over the Italian football landscape. With a mix of experience and rising stars like Pogba still to peak, Juventus will likely be a formidable opponent for the foreseeable future.
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FC Barcelona Conclusion
What left is there to say about the Catalan giants? A fifth Champions League crown caps off their second treble in six years, an astonishing feat in football that boggles the mind to think about. With Enrique at the helm, Barcelona has toppled rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga, improved its squad dramatically with the arrivals of Suarez and Rakitic, and have won nearly every trophy possible. It will take something special to stop it next season.
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