By IVES GALARCEP
Juventus put up a good fight, but ultimately couldn’t stop the team that has spent most of the year looking like the best team on the planet.
Goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar helped Barcelona earn a 3-1 victory in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final, the fifth in the club’s history.
The Spanish champions controlled play for much of the match after opening the scoring with Rakitic’s fourth-minute finish off an Andres Iniesta pass.
Despite Barcelona’s significant edge in possession and major scoring chances, Juventus stayed close with the help of a handful of top-shelf saves from Gianluigi Buffon, and equalized in the 55th minute when Alvaro Morata slammed home a rebound of a saved Carlos Tevez shot.
Morata’s goal threatened to spark a Juventus upset, but Barcelona settled down and began pressuring Juve’s defense before finally breaking through in the 68th minute when Luis Suarez raced onto a saved Lionel Messi shot to make the score 2-1.
Controversy struck in the 71st minute when Neymar headed a Jordi Alba cross past Buffon only to have the referee rule he used his hand to score the goal. Replays showed Neymar headed the ball off his own right hand.
Neymar did eventually find another goal in stoppage time when he worked a give-and-go with Pedro before blasting one past Buffon and starting the celebrations in Berlin.
The title provided a fitting ending to Xavi’s career at Barcelona. The legendary Spanish midfielder, who will leave the club to play in Qatar, finished his career at Barcelona with 25 trophies won, including four UEFA Champions League titles.
Juventus fell short of a treble, but still finished the season with Serie A and Coppa Italia titles.
What did you think of the final? Which player impressed you the most? Who do you see winning it next year?
Share your thoughts below.
Great final.
Not a PK. contact was mostly initiated by pogba therefore even tho the arm went up as a result. A PK woulda been crazy harsh
Dani Alves had both hands wrapped securely around Pogbas arm pulling it down…
biggest turn of events in this game was the PK not given to Pogba when he was pulled down by Dani Alves. Barca scored like 45 seconds later to take the lead.
Ahem, never a penalty…Barca should have had a penalty for a handball in the first half.
Better team won. Actually, the team that has dominated European football in the last decade once again showed why they are two levels above everyone else.
After the early goal Barca should have made it safe with a second and a third, but…
Credit to Juve for coming back in the game in the second half.
Very entertaining encounter for the neutral.
Messi is absolutely sublime, best player of our (all?) time. Pleasantly surprised by how Modric has done since joining from Sevilla last season. Suarez was hungry, he wanted that goal and that trophy and he got it.
“Suarez was hungry…”
Pun intended, right?
But, of course! Too bad his favorite meal was injured on the day…lol