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On Saturday evening, either the champions of Spain or the champions of Italy will deservedly be crowned champions of Europe. In doing so, one of these great footballing behemoths will also complete the treble and round off a magnificent season.
Barcelona remain most people’s favourites to lift the crown for the fourth time in the last nine years, but to discount Juventus is discourteous at best. The Old Lady of Italian football may not quite have the swagger of Catalonia’s finest, but that doesn’t mean to say that their efforts should be discounted.
Real Madrid found out to their cost that the Bianconeri are no pushovers and are more than adept at soaking up pressure and then nicking a goal on the break. They’re likely to have to employ the same tactics again if they want to emerge successful in Berlin.
Let’s take a look at five key factors that will decide the outcome of the Champions League Final 2014/15 -
Can Messi be contained?
Potentially the one player that can decide the destination of this year’s trophy. Lionel Messi is on fire at present, and has peaked at exactly the right time for Barcelona. The goal that was scored against Athletic Bilbao has to rank as one of his best ever, but more than that, he was involved in almost every key moment in the match. Because of the magnitude of his strike, his wonderful ball to Neymar, who’s strike was disallowed, has been largely forgotten.
Massimiliano Allegri will be acutely aware that if his players are able to stop Messi scoring, they’ll still have their hands full because of that innate ability Messi has to find teammates in even the tightest of corners.
If Juventus can limit the Argentine’s influence, then, frankly, they deserve to walk away with the title.
Will Suarez “bite” again when the provocation comes?
Giorgio Chiellini has done his best in the pre-match round of interviews to dispel any notion that revenge is on the cards from his point of view when talking about Luis Suarez.
Suarez’s transfer to Barcelona was delayed because of the Uruguayan’s actions in biting the shoulder of Chiellini in the World Cup, and indeed many Barca fans, disgusted by Suarez’s antics, were none too happy to see that the Catalans were still happy to sign the player.
It’s fair to say that his goalscoring prowess has shut up the naysayers but were he to react again, it’s likely that any incident would be decisive in favour of the Italians. With Patrice Evra not in forgiving mood, it promises to be a fiery opening to the match and whenever Suarez makes strides towards the opposition area.
Vidal, not Pogba the danger man
Most of the talk has been about whether Paul Pogba will lead the charge for Juventus against his potential new employers. Although he will have a say in the match at some point, Barca really need to focus their attentions on Arturo Vidal and his floating central role.
Pogba will have to spend much of his time helping Evra contain Lionel Messi and Dani Alves down Barca’s right side, but Vidal is likely to find oceans of green centrally and the space within which to hurt Barcelona.
Sergio Busquets might be the player who is in direct combat with Vidal but he needs to be wary of the excellent movement and interplay of Alvaro Morata and Carlos Tevez in behind him.
Vidal has the luxury of seeing what will open up before him and either advancing the play if he isn’t closed down or popping off balls left and right at will. At the tip of a hardworking midfield, and with such energy and purpose in delivery, Vidal will cause Barca problems all night long if he’s not locked up shaprish upon receipt of the ball.
Full-backs are the weak links
Strangely for a final, both teams weaknesses fall in exactly the same areas of the pitch; the full-backs. Barca’s problems are fairly straightforward in that regard. Both Alba and Alves like to attack as much as possible and can often be found in the attacking third of the pitch in support of their front men.
That’s fine when the opposition isn’t up to much, with the greatest of respect. Not when you are playing a team as well-drilled as Juve, who will exploit those spaces in behind time and again.
From Barca’s point of view, Evra should, and will, be worried about Lionel Messi. The Frenchman was run ragged by Messi at Wembley three years ago during Manchester United’s defeat by the Catalans. The left-back may well think he knows how to play Messi now, but whether he can put that into practice against a player back at the very top of his game is debatable.
Stephan Lichtsteiner has already noted that he, and his team will play without any fear and that’s right of course. However, the Swiss isn't a fan of attackers who come at him directly and with pace, and that is something that Neymar will be aiming to do all game long. And the Brazilian certainly has the tools to make the 31-year-old Lichtsteiner eat his words.
The final is likely to be won or lost in those key areas.
Tactical discipline
Both managers take great pride in their tactical awareness and how to develop solutions which are then put into practice. Luis Enrique has finally delivered a Plan B of sorts for the Catalans who had stuck rigidly for years to the “tiki-taka” style that Pep Guardiola had cultivated to a different level between 2008-2012. The Catalans now play on the counter if a game requires it, and can play much more vertically when a situation demands it.
Of course, he hasn’t dispensed with the club’s philosophy, just refined and adapted it. The best of both worlds in the eyes of many Barcelona fans. And his success thus far speaks volumes, despite a shaky first few months.
Allegri is a real student of the game and will have already spent many man hours looking at ways and means of ripping off Barca’s cloak of invincibility. Beware the quiet man they say. Allegri has gone about his business without fanfare, but he will be shouting from the rooftops if his selection pays off in Berlin.
The only question he needs to concern himself with is whether he goes man-to-man or plays a zonal marking system. Closing down the pretty passing triangles in midfield is just one of many puzzles Allegri has to solve if Juventus want to spring a surprise.
