Socrates

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Morata: I'll shoot down Barcelona for Real Madrid! The Spain international dumped the Blancos out in the semi-finals and now wants to make amends by upsetting their great rivals. Jun 1, 2015 Alvaro Morata claims he will try to shoot down Barcelona in Saturday's Champions League final not only for Juventus - but also Real Madrid. The Spain international lifted the European trophy with the Blancos last May before joining Juve for €20 million during the summer transfer window. Morata returned to haunt his former employers this season, however, netting the decisive goal in Juve's 3-2 aggregate victory over Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals. Consequently, Morata would now like to make amends somewhat by firing Juve to victory over his old club's fiercest rivals. "I'll try to beat Barcelona, because of what it means for Real Madrid fans as well," the attacker told Cadena SER. "But it would not be special because of having scored against Barca, but because of the importance of a Champions League final. "It's an opportunity to go down in history, and obviously scoring against Barcelona would not be as painful as it was scoring against Madrid. "But I need to actually score before thinking about celebrations! Getting a goal in a Champions League final against Barcelona is no easy task. "I played for Madrid for many years, I'm not going to say it's an extra motivation for me because you don't need extra motivation when you play a Champions League final, but facing Barca will always be special for me." Morata is well aware Juve - who are on track for their first-ever treble - will have their work cut out containing a Barca side for whom Lionel Messi has been spectacular of late. The Argentina international netted a sensational opening goal in Saturday's Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Bilbao, just a fortnight after clinching La Liga with a fine finish in a 1-0 victory at Atletico Madrid. However, Morata pointed out that the four-time Ballon d'Or winner has been brilliantly supported by Luis Suarez and Neymar this term, with the three having combined for a record-breaking 120 goals during the 2014-15 campaign. "It is very difficult to stop Messi but there is not just him at Barcelona," he added. "The other two, Suarez and Neymar, can always punish you. "If you focus only on Messi, the other two are going to kill you. And then their defence... People talk a lot about their attack but their defence is also top class. "They are a great team in general, they are among the best in the world - if not the best - but I'm sure they also have plenty of respect for us because they know we can be dangerous and haven't reached the final by accident. "We are certainly not going to Berlin thinking we are inferior to Barcelona. We would not even go there if we thought we had no chance of winning. "They have had a great season, they are incredible players and they are in spectacular form right now. "However, I think we have one of the best defensive lines in Europe. We have had some great performances ourselves and have handled some top-level players. "It will be a very difficult game but we are confident we have our possibilities."

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Buffon Nervous Ahead Of Facing Lionel Messi Jun 1, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has said Barcelona striker Lionel Messi will be tough to stop. La Vecchia Signora face the Spanish giants in the Champions League final on June 6, and the Juve captain has said that it will be difficult to stop the Argentine striker. “Messi is undoubtely the best player in the world, he has been for a decade due to his physical and mental strength,” the 37-year-old told sportmediaset. “A match against him is an exciting prospect but it does give me a bit of fear, it would be wrong to not be scared.” Buffon also said, though, that it isn’t just Messi who the Italian champions have to worry about, but the whole of the Barcelona squad. “In games like these, every player is a strong player. “I know that we can stop Messi, but Barcelona have others, their whole team is very strong.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Pogba: ‘Juventus will give everything’ Jun 1, 2015 Paul Pogba warns Juventus will ‘give everything’ in the Champions League final, and assures - ‘I’ve never said this will be my last match for Juventus’. The Bianconeri take on Barcelona on Saturday in Berlin, and Pogba spoke to French newspaper L’Equipe at the club’s media day. “It’s a dream come true,” the former Manchester United man admitted. “We all know how Barça play, they have the best attack in the world. You can do all the tactical preparation in the world, but that’s not what will win you the game. “We’ll need to be aggressive, and maybe have a little luck. We know we’re not favourites, but we’ll give everything. It’s a final, you never know. “Messi is Messi, he’s probably the best player in the world at the moment. We know Barça are a great team, the best in the world, but we’re in a final and we have nothing to lose.” The Catalan giants are one of the sides linked with Pogba, though they have a transfer ban until January, but the Frenchman is in no mood to listen to the speculation. “People can believe what they want. For me, this is a final, a huge game, I’m focused on that and nothing else. I’ve never said this will be my last match for Juventus. “I’m very happy here, and it brings me a lot of pleasure. I’m in the final of the Champions League, I’ve always wanted to play these kind of games. “Would I like to play with Messi one day? I don’t know.” Despite his fine form this season, the 22-year-old has struggled slightly since returning from injury, and was told off by Coach Max Allegri for showboating in the draw with Verona. “I’ve recovered well,” Pogba said, addressing his injury concerns. “I feel much better than in the first three matches. “Allegri’s words? I take them as advice, I have to be focused for the whole match. It’s the way I am, it’s not showing off, it’s just the way I play my football, but what the Coach said is true. “It’s always been that way with all my Coaches. I don’t do it on purpose, but sometimes I have to release a little bit, it’s me, it’s the person. “When I hear that it wakes me up a little bit, it makes me open my eyes. I want to prove that what people say or think is wrong. “Will I play differently against Barça? No, I always play my football, sometimes it comes off and sometimes it doesn’t, I just need more concentration. “If I play against Barça, since it’s a final, my concentration will be at 100 per cent for 90 minutes.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Lichtsteiner: ‘No fear against Barça’ Jun 1, 2015 Stephan Lichtsteiner insists Juventus will approach the Champions League final against Barcelona with ‘absolutely no fear’. The Old Lady are looking to win the trophy for the first time since 1996 when they face the Blaugrana on Saturday, having lost their last three finals. “It’s not just about how we move in defence,” Lichtsteiner explained at the club’s media day. “How we move as a team will count. We come in with a lot of respect, because Barcelona are strong, but with absolutely no fear, just as with Real Madrid. “Lionel Messi is one of the best players in the history of football, but we’ve played against Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale and Karim Benzema. “We hope to have another great game like in the semi-final.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Ogbonna: ‘Final a dream’ Jun 1, 2015 Juventus defender Angelo Ogbonna admits it’s ‘a dream’ to be in the Champions League final, and isn’t afraid of Lionel Messi. The Bianconeri will face the forward and Barcelona in Berlin on Saturday, and despite Messi’s 58 goals and 23 assists in just 50 games this season, the ex-Torino man insists he is not losing any sleep. “It’s a great satisfaction for me to have achieved this in my second year at Juve,” Ogbonna told reporters at the club’s media day. “This is a winning team, they’ve helped me to integrate, and now here we are - the dream has become reality. “It’s very emotional, because as a child you see your idols playing in games like this, now we’ll be playing it. “The final is a dream, and Messi is not a nightmare - if he was then it would be better not to even go onto the pitch.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Marchisio: Juventus don't fear Barcelona The midfielder says his side head into Saturday's European showdown determined to cause another upset, after stunning Real Madrid in the semis. Jun 1, 2015 Claudio Marchisio insists Juventus go into the Champions League final with no fear - despite facing an in-form Barcelona in Berlin. Both sides have wrapped up domestic doubles heading into this weekend's showpiece final, with Barcelona's superstar front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar in ominous form as they beat Athletic Bilbao to lift the Copa del Rey on Saturday. A stunning Messi run and finish provided the highlight of a 3-1 Barca win, but Marchisio is confident Juventus can hold their own against Luis Enrique's impressive side. "We're happy because, if we look at the start of the season, no one was betting on us to reach the final," the midfielder said in a news conference on Monday. "We're enjoying the week but focusing and preparing hard because we're facing a great team. "We have to be focused, [we are] facing a great team with three great strikers, [who have scored] 120 goals - we know their potential, but we work hard, we have motivation and have to think about preparing hard for the match. "We have expectations and want to show our best potential, while respecting a great squad like Barcelona - but we do not fear them." Top scorer Carlos Tevez is likely to be key if Juventus are to lift the title for a third time and Marchisio has nothing but praise for the Argentine forward, who has fired the Bianconeri to two Serie A titles since joining from Manchester City in the summer of 2013. He added: "What can we say about Carlos? Since he came here, he has been exceptional. "He had been presented in many wrong ways, many thought he's a player that creates problems but he was really humble. "He's one of the main strengths of the squad. He's fundamental for us."

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Marking Lionel Messi 'practically impossible' - Allegri Jun 1, 2015 Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri says it will be "practically impossible" to man-mark Barcelona's Lionel Messi in the Champions League final on Saturday. Messi scored the latest of his seemingly endless string of stunning goals in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday when he escaped a three-man trap on the sideline and ran past a fourth defender before scoring at the near post -- and even Allegri admitted he was impressed. "What did I feel when I saw Messi's goal against Athletic? What he did on Saturday was exceptional," Allegri said. Juve centre-back Giorgio Chiellini, however, said Messi would find scoring such a goal difficult against Serie A defenders. "Messi would not be able to score goals like that in Italy," Chiellini said. "At the moment he is the god of football. The offensive play in Spain is great but we defend better here in Italy." And when it comes to defending the Argentina star, Allegri said his team must take a different approach. "Man-to-man marking of Messi while he's on the move is practically impossible. We need to have conviction and anticipate his moves," the Juve manager said. Barcelona's goals at the weekend brought the tally of attacking trio of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez to 120 goals in all competitions, setting a Spanish record, and Allegri also said Juventus were preparing for the talent of Andres Iniesta in midfield. "We're aware of the quality of Messi, Neymar and Suarez and especially that of Iniesta," Allegri said. He added: "We know that Barca are a quality team and play a brand of football that is unique. We want to show and prove to the rest that we can compete against this Barcelona team. Messi and Neymar play in a different way to any other forward pairing in the world. We need to play a tight game." Allegri said Juventus will need to improve upon their feat of ousting defending champions Real Madrid in the semifinal if they are to beat Barcelona in a single match. "It's great preparing the tactical side of a Champions League final. It's a privilege to coach this team. To win on Saturday, we need to play even better than we did against Madrid. That was a two-legged tie -- not on Saturday," Allegri said. "Playing against Barca is unlike playing against any other rival. One needs plenty of patience and strength." The final will also present the first meeting between Suarez and Chiellini since the Uruguayan's infamous bite on his opponent during the World Cup last summer. Suarez served a four-month ban after the incident, but Chiellini said that there would be no drama between the two on Saturday, even though his current teammate Patrice Evra didn't shake Suarez's hand after he was racially abused by the then-Liverpool forward when playing for Manchester United. "Of course I will shake hands,'' Chiellini said. "I'll hug him happily, too, there's no problem at all. Those who know me even a bit know that that's how I truly feel. "I have no problem with him and I think it's the same for him. I have to think about him as a player, how he moves, his great skill but nothing more."

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Bonucci: Champions League Would Be Icing On The Cake Jun 1, 2015 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci says winning the Champions League on Saturday would be the icing on the cake for the Italian champions. The Bianconeri have clinched a first Italian league and cup double for 20 years and Massimiliano Allegri’s side will match the continental treble won by Inter in 2010 if they overcome Barcelona in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. “We normally choose a player before a match to motivate the team,” Bonucci told the media. “A different member of the squad will take the responsibility but no-one is needed for these types of matches as we will already be fully motivated to succeed. “We have to approach this challenge in a calm manner, convinced that if we are in the final it is because we deserved to be. “It has been a great season which we take great satisfaction from, but all we are missing now is the icing on the cake.” It is Juventus’ first Champions League final since losing to AC Milan in 2003 and they haven’t lifted the famous trophy since beating Ajax on penalties in 1996.

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Morata: Juventus Need Champions League Final Win To Be Remembered Jun 1, 2015 Juventus striker Alvaro Morata insists that no one will remember the Old Lady reaching the Champions League final in the future unless they beat Barcelona on Saturday in Berlin. After qualifying for their first final since 2003, the Bianconeri are looking to avoid becoming the first side to finish as runners-up for a record sixth time in the history of the competition at the Olympiastadion. “No one remembers how we got to the final, but only if we win it,” the 22-year-old said during a media day at the Juventus Stadium. “Football is like this. The club has earned this final and I know that we can do even more to make our fans happy.” A second half substitute when Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1 after extra time in the final last season, Morata could become the fourth player to win the Champions League in successive seasons for different clubs. The previous players to achieve this feat are Marcel Desailly (Olympique de Marseille 1993, AC Milan 1994), Paulo Sousa (Juventus 1996, Borussia Dortmund 1997) and Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona 2009, Inter 2010).

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Pirlo: ‘Barcelona favourites, but…’ Jun 1, 2015 Andrea Pirlo admits Barcelona are favourites in the Champions League final, but Juventus ‘know what we have to do’. The match will be the playmaker’s fourth final in the competition, having lifted the trophy twice with Milan, as well as losing to Liverpool in 2005. “This is my fourth final, but it doesn’t matter,” Pirlo told reporters at today’s media event at Juventus Stadium. “It’s a unique and special game, and it’s always different. We all know what we have to do. Barcelona are favourites, but anything can happen.” The match will be midfielder Xavi Hernandez's last game for Barcelona, with the Spaniard rivalling Pirlo for the title of best midfielder of his generation. “I’m happy to have played so many times against him. He’s a great champion and a great man.” Finally, the Italian international discussed the parallels to 2006, when he was part of the Azzurri side which liften the World Cup in Berlin - the same venue as Saturday’s match. “Many years have passed, but that night remains an indelible memory,” Pirlo reflected. “I hope to experience the same emotions on Saturday.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Morata: ‘To Berlin to win!’ Jun 1, 2015 Alvaro Morata believes Juventus can upset the odds and beat Barcelona on Saturday - ‘We wouldn’t even go there if we thought we had no chance’. The Bianconeri face the Catalan side in their first Champions League final since 2003, and even as a former Real Madrid man, the striker needs to extra motivation. “We are certainly not going to Berlin thinking we are inferior to Barcelona,” Morata told UEFA’s official website. “We wouldn’t even go there if we thought we had no chance of winning. Obviously scoring against Barcelona would not be as painful as it was scoring against Madrid [in the semis] but I need to actually score before thinking about celebrations. “Getting a goal in a Champions League final against Barcelona is no easy task. “I played for Madrid for many years, I'm not going to say it's an extra motivation for me because you don't need extra motivation when you play a Champions League final, but facing Barça will always be special for me.” Much of the focus in the build-up has centred around the Blaugrana’s ‘MSN’ strike force - Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. While acknowledging the talents of the trio, Morata believes Juventus’ backline is capable of subduing them. “They have had a great season, they are incredible players and they are in spectacular form right now. “However, I think we have one of the best defensive lines in Europe. We have had some great performances ourselves and have handled some top-level players. “It will be a very difficult game but we are confident we have our chances. “Messi? It is very difficult to stop him but there is not just Messi at Barcelona. The other two can always punish you. If you focus only on Messi, the other two are going to kill you. “Then their defence – people talk a lot about their attack but their defence is also top class. They are a great team in general, they are among the best in the world, if not the best. “But I'm sure they also have plenty of respect for us because they know we can be dangerous and haven't reached the final by accident.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Vidal: ‘Biggest game of my life’ Jun 1, 2015 Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal describes Saturday’s Champions League final as ‘the most important game of my life’. The Bianconeri take on Barcelona in Berlin, looking to win the trophy for the first time since 1996, and held a media event at Juventus Stadium today. “There are so many emotions that you feel when you’re this close to the game,” Vidal said in a video released on the club’s Twitter page. “It’s a dream to be here, close to the most important game of my life. Like all footballers, I think playing in the Champions League final is the ultimate, and we have to be focused for the game.” Barcelona are considered by most to be heavy favourites for the match, but Vidal believes the Old Lady can upset the odds. “They’ve always said that the other team is favourites against us [throughout the competition], and we’ve shown differently on the pitch. “We hope to win on Saturday, so that favourite will have lost.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Four years in the making: Juventus, Barcelona set to meet at the mountain top Jun 1, 2015 Monday morning. May 23, 2011. The night before I just watched my beloved I Bianconeri draw at home 2-2 against Napoli and finished 7th in Serie A. Again. Morale was not exactly high, so I decided to skip work and took my kid to school. As I dropped him off, I saw a kindergarten class with their teacher was having an activity in the school garden. I don't know why but I decided to linger a bit. The teacher, a lady in her 30s, was dividing her students into several groups and to my surprise, she named the groups after football clubs. The first four teams came up fast: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea. To be expected, as I lived in an EPL-infested country and the kids here adored Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The fifth team she mentioned, however, shocked me: "Who wants to join ... Juventus??" She made my day. I then left and decided to visit my Dad. He hadn't been the same since his heart attack a few years ago so I phoned or visit from time to time. He smiled when I told him what happened and Juve's back-to-back 7th. He's not a football geek but he watched World Cups. We chatted and one particular sentence stayed with me until today, "There's a threat in every success and there's an opportunity in every failure." Five days later, Barcelona beat Manchester United in London and lifted their 4th UEFA Champions League trophy, pairing it with the La Liga one they had won earlier. May 23rd, 2012 I accompanied my parents to Singapore. Dad wanted to visit this specialist at the Mt. Elizabeth Hospital, so I went with them. He hadn't been doing any exercises, so I was happy to see that he walked for quite a distance from the hotel to the hospital or to the restaurants. During our walk, we chatted and Juve came up. I told him that boosted by the new Juventus Stadium and the appointing of club legend Antonio Conte as head coach, we were immediately linked with "plasma TVs" Kun Aguero (Atletico Madrid) and Alexis Sanchez (Udinese). We eventually missed them all and signed Mirko Vucinic for 15m and made Alessandro Matri permanent for another €15 million. We did much better elsewhere and got Stephan Lichtsteiner, Arturo Vidal and a World-Cup winner Andrea Pirlo for €20.5 million combined. We also added Martin Caceres, an ex-Barca (and also an ex-Juve) player, in the winter. The defense and midfield were sturdy but the attack was unsurprisingly dull but to Juventini's joy, we managed a huge upset and won the scudetto. Well, he didn't say anything this time. He was busy breathing in and out In Spain, Barcelona failed to defend both the La Liga and Champions League titles but early in the season, they won the Sanchez sweepstakes which cost them €40 million. They also leisurely spent another €40 million for Cesc Fabregas. Three years later... May, 23rd, 2015 "Well, how about it dad? Juve won four scudetti in a trot. We finally got our "plasma TVs" in Carlos Tevez, Fernando Llorente, and Alvaro Morata. And guess what? You were right. I thought we were doomed when Conte left and we signed Max Allegri. Allegri! He couldn't even win with Zlatan and Thiago Silva in the team. But I was so wrong. He guided us to a domestic double! Only Renato Cesarini (1959/60) and Marcelo Lippi (1994/95) had done that. Incredible. The players did have something to prove but Allegri was a big part of the achievements. You're absolutely right." Silent. I could hear my kids ran around and played in the garden but he kept his silence. Not bothered at all. You would think he'd come up with another pearl of wisdom by now. "Wait. It gets better. We're in the Champions League final!!! Can you believe it? Against Barcelona. Remember what I told you four years ago? We had €154 million in total revenue and Barca had €450 million. It looked impossible back then to meet them at the top, but we did! This season, we're good for 300-350m. Well, the Catalan will probably break the 500 million mark but we're closer now. Agnelli and Marotta are working miracle." Still silent. "Well, what do you think? Do we have a chance against the trident Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar? Our Andrea Barzagli (if he plays), Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini are very good but this is the best trident in the world we're talking about, supported by superb attacking midfield and fullbacks." "Gianluca Vialli thought we should park the bus but surely that trident will score against any defense in 90 minutes, won't it? Defense should be the priority but with Tevez-Morata up front and Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio in the middle, I think we should take our chances and not put the defensive line too deep." "We're clearly the underdogs but remember that 1996 final? The defending champions Ajax Amsterdam were much superior on paper but Fabrizio Ravanelli scored an impossible goal and in the end we won in a penalty shootout. We stopped the unstoppable Ajax." Still no answer. "I gues we'll find out on June 6th then, Dad. I'm going home now." I yelled my kids inside and said, "Come kids. We're going home. Say your prayers to your grandpa's ashes."

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Buffon: 'Outstanding' Allegri key to success The 37-year-old goalkeeper has hailed the impact of the former AC Milan coach as Juventus stand on the verge of an historic treble. Jun 1, 2015 Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon has hailed coach Massimiliano Allegri's impact in Turin as they close in on a memorable treble. The former AC Milan boss's July 2014 appointment raised eyebrows around Europe after he was sacked by the Rossoneri just six months earlier. But the 47-year-old now stands on the verge of an historic treble after leading the Old Lady to the league and cup double ahead of Saturday's Champions League showdown with Barcelona, and Buffon has revealed how impressed he has been by the man in charge. "What has impressed me most is his great intelligence in terms of settling in with the squad and trying to find out not just our technical qualities but also the mentality and morale of the whole team and each individual player," Buffon told Uefa.com. "His tactical knowledge is outstanding – after years of playing a certain system, he managed to get us to try alternatives and to perform even better. "Even so, he has not tried to completely change how we've played because in some situations or matches we have returned to how we played before. So I think this is his biggest achievement." Juve are hoping to secure their first Champions League crown since 1996 but Buffon concedes the Italian champions will be the underdogs in Berlin. "Against Real Madrid [in the semi-finals] we might have had a 35 per cent chance of making it past them, so I guess the chances of now winning the trophy against this Barcelona side are even slimmer," he said. "But like I said about Real, we have a few weapons to compete and ways to try to make things difficult for them. So we will play based on that."

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Chiellini Insists He Will Shake The Hand Of Suarez Before Champions League Final Jun 1, 2015 Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has said his side are looking forward to the Champions League final. La Vecchia Signora travel to Berlin on June 6 to face Barcelona in the conclusion of Europe’s top club competition, and Chiellini has said he and the rest of the team are excited at the prospect of playing in the final. “The wait is almost over and we cannot wait,” the 30-year-old told the press. The Italian also commented on the fact that he will come face to face with Luis Suarez, following the biting incident at the World Cup last summer, and insisted he will shake his hand before the game. “At last I will play against Suarez again which means people can stop talking about what happened at the World Cup,” he said. “And of course I will shake his hand.” Although it is a high profile match, Chiellini also said the side aren’t scared yet. “We still have three training sessions here in Turin, and we are still calm. We aren’t nervous yet.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Tevez: ‘Give everything to win’ Jun 1, 2015 Juventus striker Carlos Tevez says that he would ‘give everything’ to win the Champions League against Barcelona on Saturday. The Argentina international has been one off the Bianconeri’s star performers this season and explained that the squad is relaxed ahead of their biggest fixture in 19 years. “What I would give to win? I would give everything, like all Juventini. We want the Cup,” Tevez said to Premium Sport. “We don’t have any less pressure on us than Barcelona do, we are the same. “It’s a final and we’ve sweated a lot to make it to Berlin. We want to play a great match. “No, you have to talk about Juventus and Barcelona more than about me and Messi, but this is the folklore of football. “We are calm and there is no tension in the group. We want to get to Saturday soon, it’s only right that there’s a lot of attention on us because we’re playing in an important final.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Bonucci: 'Juventus are calm' Jun 1, 2015 Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci has said that his side are relaxed in their approach to Saturday’s Champions League final. The Bianconeri will take on Barcelona in Berlin in an attempt to win the title for the first time in 19 years, but Bonucci insists the squad are approaching the match in composed fashion. “We will prepare for the game with peace of mind, but also with the knowledge that we got to the final because we deserved to and because we are a great team,” he said to Tuttomercatoweb at the club’s media day. “We still haven’t decided who will give the pre-match speech. During the warm up we will see who feels like it. “In any case, that is not what will make the difference. There are certain games you can only prepare for alone. “The season has been very positive, particularly on a collective level. We have taken great satisfaction from these 11 months, now we have to put the icing on the cake.”

Cheslea Join Race For Juventus Star Jun 1, 2015 Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on making Juventus’ Paul Pogba his big summer transfer. Pogba has been subject to wide speculation that he will leave Turin this summer and it seems that Chelsea have join the race to sign the 22 year old. According to La Stampa, Chelsea are willing to offer a huge sum in order to purchase the French international. It is thought that Chelsea would be willing to pay in excess of €80 million for Pogba. The Premier League would not be foreign for Pogba as he spent three years at Manchester United although he only made three appearances for the senior side. Pogba is not the only Juventus midfielder who could be leaving the Italian champions this summer. There has been growing reports that Arturo Vidal will also move in the coming transfer window with Real Madrid a likely destination.

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Allegri: 'Historic Juventus season' Jun 1, 2015 Juventus Coach Massimiliano Allegri believes this season “will go down in history” ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final. The Old Lady face Barcelona in Berlin on Saturday with both clubs looking to secure a treble, having won the league title and domestic cup in Italy and Spain respectively. “This season will go down in history,” Allegri said at a pre-match Press conference on Monday. “It’s not often a team gets to this point in three separate competitions. Winning the Champions League final would be a more than extraordinary feat. “It’d be the perfect way to round off a magnificent season. The final could go to penalties, even though I think that’s unlikely. We’ll be prepared for any eventuality. The Bianconeri Coach acknowledged the difficulty of facing Barcelona and in particular Lionel Messi, and outlined how his side will approach the match. “Barcelona play a different brand of football to that of other teams,” he said. “We’ll need to be compact and keep it tight. We need to focus exclusively on knuckling down and working hard, not on what might happen. “Marking Messi while he moves is a near impossible task. We must be smart in working around him. “We’re aware of how good we are and know we’re capable of giving a decent account of ourselves. “We know we’ll have some decent spells in the game. We must be calm and avoid letting anxiety creep in. “There’s a great mood in the camp and only five days to go. Let’s see if we’re able to make this season even more extraordinary.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Buffon: Juventus chances slim Jun 1, 2015 Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes that his side only have a slim chance of defeating Barcelona in the Champions League final. The two clubs face off on Saturday evening in the same stadium where Buffon won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, but the 37-year-old underlined his respect for the opposition. “Against Real we might have had a 35% chance of making it past them, so I guess the chances of now winning the trophy against this Barcelona side are even slimmer,” he said in an interview with UEFA.com. “We are aware of this and we can't deny it – because it's just obvious. So we certainly have an abundance of respect for the Barcelona squad, for what they have achieved and for the players they have. “But like I said about Real, we have a few weapons to compete and ways to try to make things difficult for them. So we will play based on that. “I'm going back to Berlin after nine years. And I am curious to see whether the feelings and sensations will be the same. But I don't think there will be big differences to nine years ago.” The veteran goalkeeper has never won a Champions League title and described his joy at winning the semi-final against Real Madrid. “I just felt a great happiness that I have only really experienced a few times, because when you are not the favourites or the stronger team and you still make it through to the next round, that is something very rewarding,” he said. “For me personally, this is a big goal. It's a big goal because my career has been a long one – and obviously during all those years there have been a lot of complicated and difficult decisions to take. “I took those decisions based on my feelings and based on my way of life. And I have to say that after nine or ten years – some of which have been really difficult – to come here again and make it with the whole team, the whole staff, the whole club and all our fans, that is just something great and something really rewarding.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Boy in Month-Long Coma Wakes Up, Asks If Juventus Still in Champions League Jun 1, 2015 A 14-year-old boy has survived an extraordinary ordeal, which saw him spend more than 40 minutes trapped underwater and a month in an induced coma—and top of his priority list upon waking was to find out if Juventus were still in the Champions League. Italy's Milan Chronicle (via Victoria Richards of the Independent) reports that he and five friends jumped off a bridge into a canal near Milan. Stuck in the canal, his heart stopped. Remarkably, he showed no signs of brain damage and not only woke up but wanted to know what was happening in football. After four weeks in hospital in San Raffaele, he is said to have woken, spoken to his parents and asked whether his favourite football team, Juventus, was still in the Champions League. Juventus were not among the favourites to go deep into the tournament, but they ousted Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and Real Madrid in the knockout rounds to reach the final. Presumably, the boy, named only as "Michael" in the Italian press, will now be able to see his team in action in Saturday's final against Barcelona.

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Andres Iniesta Injury: Updates on Barcelona Midfielder's Calf and Return Jun 1, 2015 Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta is a doubt for the Blaugrana's Champions League final showdown with Juventus after suffering a calf injury during the side's Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Bilbao on May 30. Iniesta to Undergo Tests Monday, June 1 AS reports the extent of Iniesta's problem will be determined after he undergoes tests on Monday. He played 55 minutes during Barca's 3-1 win over Bilbao before being replaced by Xavi. The classy midfielder was "given an icepack for a knock on his right calf," per AS, but boss Luis Enrique remains hopeful he will be fit for the tie against Juve on Saturday. "I hope it's not serious and that he can play in Berlin," said Enrique, who provided a hint of encouragement: "I saw him jumping during the cup celebrations," per AS. Iniesta appeared sprightly enough when receiving the Copa del Rey trophy in a video tweeted by Barca. The 31-year-old has made 39 appearances across all competitions for the Catalan club this season, per WhoScored.com. Although he isn't as creative as he used to be, Iniesta remains a leader both on and off the pitch. With Xavi leaving at the end of the season, his experience will become even more valuable to the side. Iniesta has won the Champions League three times, scored the 2010 World Cup winner for Spain and remains a big-game player for Barca. As such, Enrique will hope his midfield maestro can shrug off his problem in time for the trip to Berlin.

Grading Massimiliano Allegri on Juventus' 2014/15 Serie A Season Jun 1, 2015 There is little doubt that the 2014-15 season has been hugely positive one for Juventus, the club winning a fourth consecutive Serie A title with ease. Having also lifted the Coppa Italia for the first time since 1995, and with the Champions League final still to play, the Bianconeri have already enjoyed great success. Whatever the result against Barcelona on June 6, there is little doubt that the Old Lady and her supporters will look back fondly on this campaign for years to come. Yet it did not begin in such happy circumstances, with the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri initially met with widespread derision among fans and neutral observers alike. "He joined the club amidst a great deal of scepticism but he's succeeded in keeping this team moving forward,” director general Beppe Marotta said of the coach back in March, per the club’s official website. Appointed the day after Antonio Conte quit the role, Allegri had very little time to prepare and arrived with his reputation at an all-time low following his dismissal by Milan just six months earlier. Wisely starting the season by changing very little of the team he inherited, he retained both the formation and line-up favoured by his predecessor. Sticking with the 3-5-2 framework that had been central to the success of the Bianconeri over the previous three seasons proved an intelligent decision, as they recorded seven wins and one draw in their opening eight fixtures. Wins against newly promoted Empoli and Palermo followed, but sandwiched between them was a disappointing loss to Genoa. That compounded defeats to Atletico Madrid and Olympiakos in the Champions League, and prompted Allegri to make changes and finally make the team his own. Switching to a back four brought immediate results, not only restoring focus to a side in danger of becoming stale, but also making them much more threatening in attack. That was evident in their 3-2 win over the same Greek opponents, before a 7-0 demolition of Parma reinforced the point. From there, Juventus have played with remarkable consistency, conceding just 24 goals this term as the champions kept a remarkable 18 clean sheets in the league alone. Also leading all teams thanks to a tally of 72 goals, there is little doubting the impact the coach has made, leading them to the title by a margin of 16 points. It is difficult to judge Allegri solely on the Serie A campaign alone, as he has often rested players ahead of key Champions League fixtures, his skilled rotation of the side allowing them to compete on three fronts for the first time in recent memory. That has allowed Juventus to benefit from sustained excellence from players such as Patrice Evra and Carlos Tevez, while also nursing Arturo Vidal back to full health following his summer knee surgery. Evra is one of many new signings to be successfully integrated by the Livorno-born tactician, who has also proven his ability to develop young players throughout the season. The quality of Alvaro Morata was evident in his fleeting appearances at former club Real Madrid, but an increase in playing time has seen the Spaniard make a huge leap forward in 2015. Allegri deserves immense credit for that, and he is also at least partially responsible for the rapid progress of Roberto Pereyra. Now good enough to be a member of Argentina’s Copa America squad, the utility player signed from Udinese has blossomed under the coach’s guidance in Turin. His running on the ball has been a neat addition to the Bianconeri attack, while his defensive diligence has been vital in the biggest matches. Stefano Sturaro has also shone, the 22-year-old making an impact following his January move from Genoa, Allegri calling upon him more and more as the season reached its climax. Tactically astute, with a firm grasp of what lays ahead for his team and how each of his players was performing at all times, there is little doubt Max Allegri has been a major factor in Juve’s success this season. Allegri’s Grade for Serie A 2014-15: A

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Juventus-Barcelona: Marco van Basten's Champions League verdict Ahead of Saturday's Champions League final between Barcelona and Juventus, we spoke to Marco van Basten, Nissan's ambassador for their UEFA Champions League Final activity in Berlin, to get his take on the game. Jun 1, 2015 The three-time Ballon d’Or winner was part of the AC Milan team that won the European Cup back-to-back in 1989 and 1990, a feat no team has repeated since. Van Basten shared his views on why Juventus are the exception in Italian football, how Barcelona can be stopped and why he’s surprised that Luis Suarez is now flourishing at the Nou Camp… Suarez surprise Van Basten was head coach at Ajax for part of Suarez’s three-and-a-half year stay at the club and remembers the Uruguayan forward’s extraordinary desire to succeed. “He’s very emotional,” Van Basten told Sky Sports. “He’s a real winner too. He wants to make goals, he wants to play and he wants to attack. He has developed himself in a very good way so he’s a big striker in world football at the moment. “I knew that he was a winner and that he was a very good player, always creating chances, threatening the goal and causing problems for the opponent. He made a good impression at Liverpool but he’s getting stronger and stronger.” Even so, Van Basten did not envisage Suarez fitting in quite as effectively as he has at Barcelona given the team’s unique style of play. “I was expecting him to be a really good player but I didn’t think of him playing for a team like Barcelona,” added Van Basten. “I felt he’d be more suited to a team like Juventus or Inter because the football in Italy is a bit different to the football they play at Barcelona. “Barca play a really clever type of football, close together with everybody at a high level technically. I think he is more of an opportunistic forward who should just go forward and see what happens. He does that in a marvellous way but it’s not the way he plays at Barcelona.” That man Messi… Van Basten played with Johan Cruyff at Ajax, faced Diego Maradona during his Napoli pomp and coached his country against Lionel Messi at a World Cup. It puts him in a unique position to rate the Barcelona man. “I think he’s a truly great player. He’s on the level with Pele, Cruyff and Maradona. “I think Maradona was more of a fighter. Maradona was strong and mean. He could be a really difficult person as he tried everything to win. Messi is just a fantastic player. I think he’s a little bit quieter than Maradona was but they both have unbelievable skills.” So can Barcelona be stopped? With Suarez adding another dimension to an already talented Barcelona side, the debate continues regarding how best to stop the Spanish champions. Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola tried it his own way with a high line and man-for-man pressing against his old team in the semi-final only to lose 5-3 on aggregate and Van Basten has some sympathy for those tactics. “I think that Pep Guardiola had bad luck because he was not able to use his best line-up,” said Van Basten. “He was not able to field Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery or David Alaba. They were not fit against Barcelona. That’s a pity because I really wanted to see a good game between these two teams. But it wasn’t like that. “If you want to make Barcelona have a difficult evening then you have to defend really well. You have to make sure you don’t give a lot of space to Lionel Messi or Andres Iniesta and also make sure they don’t get any time. So you should be very compact and close to each other, remaining alert while they have the ball. On the other hand, you also have to go on the attack too.” So does he feel the Italian champions have a chance? “I don’t think Juventus are as good as Barcelona but they are also able to attack as they have shown in winning the double in Italy. They can create as well. “The good thing for Juventus is that they are a team that understands and reads the flow of the game. So if they feel they need to defend they have the discipline to defend, but if they have the possibility to attack they will go forward. That’s what gives them the chance to beat Barca.” What’s happened to Italian football? It’s been a difficult time for Serie A but Van Basten believes the team from Turin are a unique case. “Juventus are an exception. They have had a new start since they came back from Serie B. They are organised and they have their own stadium. If you compare that to Milan, Inter, Roma or any of the other clubs, they all still have big problems. In that case, Juventus is an example for all Italian clubs.” So does it sadden the former Milan hero to see his old side – the seven-time European champions no less - struggling in mid-table? “Sad is a big word. I have a lot of sympathy for Milan but if you look what’s happened in the past 10 years they have gone down so much. When I was playing you had 85,000 every week in the San Siro. Now you have maybe 30,000. The level of the players is just poor. “It’s also a matter of money. It’s a pity that 20 years ago Italy had everything. All the money, all the players and all the attention was in Italy. But there have been so many different stories with corruption, referees and money that everything went out of their hands. Now it’s difficult to come back, but Italy is still a great football country. You can see how important it still is for every Italian.” Can anyone replicate Milan? One thing that Milan fans can still boast is that, a quarter of a century on, they remain the last team to lift the European Cup in back-to-back seasons and Van Basten thinks a repeat in the near future is far from inevitable. “We were the last team to do it and it’s not easy,” he said. “Winning the Champions League is the most important cup you can win as a player in club football and to do it twice you need to be the best for two years in a row. You can’t afford a bad game because that’ll be the end of the road. “I think that football is also a little bit more predictable than it was 20 years ago. If you look at the last eight of the Champions League, it will include the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus so you probably have to play against one of these big clubs. “I think 20 years ago it was not like that. You maybe had three or four good teams but with a little bit of luck you could reach the semi-finals a little bit easier. That’s an important point in understanding why it’s a little bit more difficult to win it two years in a row.” So who does he want to win? Van Basten concluded: “If Barcelona are allowed to play their game – that means nice football in an attacking way – with nice moments from Messi and Iniesta then I hope Barcelona win. But I lived for 10 years in Italy so I am half Italian. I hope that for the Italian people, Juve win the Champions League. That would be good for Italian football. But mainly I hope the best team wins the cup.”

JUVENTUS - BARCELONA - FINAL Saturday, June 6th, 2015 - 08:45 P.M. Olympiastadion, Berlin Referee:‬ Cüneyt Çakir (Turkey) Nedved: Juventus Must Not Sit Back Against Barcelona Jun 1, 2015 Pavel Nedved has advised Juventus not to sit back and defend in the Champions League final against Barcelona at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on June 6. The former Bianconeri midfielder, turned director, also acknowledged the immense talent that will come from Barcelona’s attacking trio of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez, but still believes that the match still hangs in the balance. “They have so much talent, it’s hard to think about how to stop them,” Nedved said to Isport Blesk. “We have to defend well and not only that, we want to create problems for their rearguard. What we must not do is be passive, to leave Barcelona the absolute initiative.” The Czech recounted his glorious moments with Juventus in European competition, adding his hopes that the club will find victory after a 12 year absence from the Champions League final. “The 2003 final was the match marked the high point of my career,” said Nedved. “Winning the Champions League would be very meaningful to me. We did not expect to be here, but we deserve it.”