Friday, June 3, 2016
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Barcelona see off Juventus to claim fifth title
Juventus 1-3 FC BarcelonaA thrilling final was eventually won by Barcelona, second-half goals from Luis Suárez and Neymar giving them the trophy for the fifth time.
• Ivan Rakitić rounds off wonderful passing move to give Barça early lead (4)
• Álvaro Morata taps in to level after slick Juve move (55)
• Luis Suárez restores Barcelona advantage (68); Neymar scores added-time third
• Juve become first side to lose six European Cup finals
• Álvaro Morata taps in to level after slick Juve move (55)
• Luis Suárez restores Barcelona advantage (68); Neymar scores added-time third
• Juve become first side to lose six European Cup finals
In an unusually open start to a final, Juve might have scored themselves before Barça did, Ivan Rakitić rounding off a slick passing move in the fourth minute. For a while the roof looked set to fall in on Juve, Gianluigi Buffon producing a sensational stop to deny Daniel Alves – yet the Italian champions are nothing if not obdurate and drew level ten minutes into the second half through Álvaro Morata. Now it was Barcelona under pressure, but Luis Suárez restored their advantage and, with Juve throwing everything forward, Neymar blasted in a third with the final kick of the game.FC Barcelona have been crowned European champions for the fifth time – and the fourth in the past ten years – after seeing off a determined Juventus challenge in Berlin.
The final began at breakneck speed and both teams might have scored twice inside the first ten minutes. First, Paul Pogba failed to connect with a header and then Arturo Vidal fired over after sterling work down the Juve right from Morata. By then, however, the Bianconeri were behind, undone by a typical Barcelona move.
Lionel Messi's crossfield pass to Jordi Alba wrongfooted the Juve defence and, though it looked like the chance had gone when Neymar's touch carried him away from goal, the Brazilian turned and found Andrés Iniesta. A touch into the path of Rakitić and Barcelona were ahead, Iniesta the first player to provide assists in three UEFA Champions League finals and Barcelona notching their 29th goal in this season's competition – just the fourth not scored by Messi, Suárez or Neymar.
It could quickly have got worse for Juve, Neymar shooting just too high, and soon after it took an astounding reaction stop from Gianluigi Buffon to keep it at 1-0. The 37-year-old looked to have been sent the wrong way by Daniel Alves' shot, yet stuck out a left hand to parry – a stop that drew gasps and applause from both ends of the crowd when it was replayed on the big screen – and then got a touch of fortune as Messi's follow-up header landed on the roof of his net rather than dropping under the crossbar.
Rakitić's clever low corner found Alba for a shot that flew over, before Juve finally got a foothold in the game. Pogba, an increasingly prominent presence as the half wore on, would have picked out Morata but for a crucial Javier Mascherano interception, while Morata curled an effort past the post as Juve pressed high.
Barça, however, were equally adept at pressuring the Juventus defence and came within centimetres of extending their lead before half-time as Suárez's shot flicked the outside of Buffon's post. The goalkeeper then pushed an effort from the Uruguay striker over the crossbar to ensure there was only a goal between the sides at the break.
Four minutes after the interval, Buffon came to Juve's rescue again, after Barcelona had broken at lightning speed. Rakitić slid in Suárez, but Buffon stood tall and blocked at the near post. Suárez and Messi fired just too high as Barça threatened to take command – yet instead the next goal came from the team in black and white.
Claudio Marchisio was the architect, his clever back heel playing in Stephan Lichtsteiner. The right-back's cross allowed Carlos Tévez to turn Gerard Piqué and, though Marc-André ter Stegen blocked the shot, the ball fell for Morata, who made no mistake.
Now Barcelona were rocking, Tévez shooting just too high and Pogba straight at Ter Stegen as Juve looked to make their momentum count. Once again, however, the pendulum swung back to their opponents; in the 68th minute, Messi picked up the ball and worked space to unleash a shot that Buffon could only parry; Suárez did the rest.
Neymar also had an effort chalked off for handball before Piqué just cleared the bar with a fierce effort after turning well as Barcelona sought a clinching third. Their failure to find it meant the door remained ajar for Juve, Roberto Pereyra losing his footing at the crucial moment before Marchisio's effort was turned behind by Ter Stegen.
With Juve piling forward, Barcelona found openings on the counter and finally clinched the title with the final kick of the evening. Substitute Pedro Rodríguez unselfishly played in Neymar, and the unerring finish meant the celebrations could begin in earnest.
©Getty Images
The Barcelona match pennant ahead of the final against Juventus
©Getty Images
An impressive opening ceremony took place on the pitch before the game kicked off
©Getty Images
Ivan Rakitić wheels away in celebration after his early goal
©AFP/Getty Images
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique passes on instructions to Javier Mascherano
©AFP/Getty Images
Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo cuts a rueful figure during the game
©Getty Images
Álvaro Morata celebrates after levelling for Juve
©Getty Images
Luis Suárez puts Barcelona back in front
©AFP/Getty Images
Luis Suárez celebrates his goal with Neymar (left)
©Getty Images
Neymar celebrates his late, late goal in Berlin
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Champions League by the numbers
This story appears in ESPN The Magazine's June 8 World Football Issue.Subscribe today!
WORLD FOOTBALL GIANTS! International rivalries! The chance for the rare European treble! This year's Champions League final, in Berlin on June 6, features no shortage of storylines. Case in point: Barcelona, three years removed from its last title, is back and aiming for its first treble since 2009, having teamed Lionel Messi with fellow strikers Luis Suarez and Neymar.
In Barca's way lies historical powerhouse Juventus, which had been shut out of the final since 2003 until this year's upset of Real Madrid. Though Barcelona is considered the heavy favorite -- even Juve's legendary goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, will have trouble stopping Barca's trio of attackers -- Juventus is hardly a plucky underdog: The 31-time Italian champion boasts a stingy defense, tactical discipline and the elegance of 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo in midfield.
Which powerhouse will prevail? Let's kick around the numbers.
ONES TO WATCH: Lionel Messi, Barcelona. On a team full of the world's best attacking talent, Messi still reigns supreme: Barca's all-time leading scorer was tops on the team in goals (10), shots (53), touches (1,050) and take-ons (134).
Alvaro Morata, Juventus. Morata scored four goals on 22 shots this year in Europe, both second just to Carlos Tevez. But most important among them were his two goals against Real Madrid -- his former club, with whom he won the UCL final last year -- in Juve's semifinals against the Spanish club.
STATS TO KNOW: Though Barca's tiki-taka days are mostly over, the team still provides sublime distribution, evidenced by a UCL-best 86.7 percent passing accuracy. Its 7,471 completed passes and 164 chances created were both second best.
When Alvaro Morata notched a first-leg goal against Real Madrid, he had a bit of help from his friends: A UCL-high 27 passes, from eight players, led to it. Midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo had five himself.
GOAL-GETTERS: When Barcelona signed Luis Suarez last summer, expectations for the squad's new three-pronged attack seemed unmeetable-and yet they've been surpassed. The trio scored 25 of Barcelona's 28 UCL goals.
Meanwhile, in six Champions League games for Juve last year, mercurial striker Carlos Tevez, who almost left the sport just a few years ago, scored no goals on 23 shots. This year, as Juve's No. 10, he had seven on 34.
ASSISTED LIVING: Eleven players on Barcelona notched at least one assist in European competition this year.
"We are where we wanted to be but won't just be happy with that. we want to win titles. We are in a final, and it is within our reach. We will try to win it." -- Andres Iniesta, Barcelona
"We're not going to Berlin just to make up the numbers. This final is a massive opportunity." -- Gianluigi Buffon, Juventus
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