Berlin, June 7 (IANS) Barcelona overcame resilient Juventus 3-1 thanks to the goals of Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar who wrapped up the treble winning season for the “Blaugrana”, following the UEFA Champions League final at outsold Berlin Olympia stadium on Saturday.
Both clubs played their eighth European Cup final and both clubs had the chance to complete the season with a treble, Xinhua news agency reported.
Yet, there can be only one winner. In the end “Barca” sealed the deal with two-second half goals after Juventus’ Alvaro Morata cancelled out Ivan Raktici’s opener from the first half.
With the victory in the final, Luis Enrique completed the treble in his first season in charge.
Barcelona is the first club that has been able to earn three titles in one season twice, after 2009. They snatched overall five European titles, one European Cup title and four UEFA Champions League titles.
The Catalans caught a fairy-tale start in front of 70,500 spectators as Ivan Rakitic broke the deadlock with the first attack with just four minutes into the game.
Neymar passed into the box to Andres Iniesta. The Spain international had all time and space and set up for Ivan Rakitic, who tapped in the opener from ten meters.
Barcelona took over and nearly doubled the lead just nine minutes later but Juventus’ veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon denied Lionel Messi with quick reaction of his left hand. Meanwhile, Juventus’ offense still failed to gain a foothold into the game by then.
Barcelona continued to control the proceedings on the pitch yet they remained wasteful at their finish. Luis Suarez came close to extend the lead but his long-range effort missed the target just narrowly of the left post with six minutes remaining in the first half.
After the restart the “Blaugrana” continued where they started left off however Juventus stunned the Catalans against the run of the game when Alvaro Morata cancelled out Rakitic’ s opener ten minutes into the first half.
Carlos Tevez unleashed a hammer, which was parried into the path of Alvaro Morata, who slotted home the rebound from very close range.
Juventus Turin took over and started to pose threat with promising chances through Morata, Tevez, Pogba and Vidal.
Nevertheless it were Barcelona who fought back and restored their lead at the 68th minute when Luis Suarez poked home a rebound following a Messi shot on target.
Juventus frenetically pressed for the two all draw but Neymar’ s 3-1 made the game safe in the dying minuets of the match.
“Such a result is not always fair but we played a good game. We can’t blame us,” Juventus Turin goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffion said.
“We are very happy. I have got a unique group of players. I never thought we would win the treble but one always tries to do their best job,” Barcelona coach Luis Enrique said.
