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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