Spanish champions are now playing as a team, not
individuals - but insists Juventus have an equally
good chance of victory in Berlin
By Diego Simeone
It will be a fascinating final. No two teams in the
Champions League have been more consistent this
season than Barcelona and Juventus . Two strong
sides, with very different styles, meet in Berlin –
and both of them are going for a treble.
Barcelona have had a magnificent season. Their
attacking strength and growth in defence has
helped them to achieve so much already in
2014-15.
Their attacking potential is impressive. Be it on the
counter-attack, in individual moves finished by
Neymar, Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez, or in their
passing play, they have so many tools with which
to decide a match.
Between December and now, they have improved
immensely. The great virtue of Luis Enrique and
the club was to get their excellent individuals
gelling as a team. Messi returned to the right wing,
with Luis Suarez in the position where he has
thrived his whole career. Neymar as well. That has
made the team much more complete and it’s the
great thing about football: if the best players
understand better how to play as a team,
everything is much stronger.
That's what happened at Barcelona as the coach
and the players understood what was best for the
team and the collective – not only individuals.
When that happened, the collective became much
stronger – and they haven't looked back.
Messi scored another wonderful goal in the final of
the Copa del Rey last Saturday. Year after year, he
continues to surprise us. Last season, he perhaps
lacked the consistency we have become
accustomed to from him. But this year, he is at
such a high level that we expect something
different from him every week.
In the final of the Copa del Rey, he showed once
again what a great player he is. If you don't
control him from the first instant, he makes things
even harder for you because he sees things before
anyone else. That's why he is the best in the
world.
It is impossible to control him in any case. You try
to control him with spaces, looking at where he
can get to and where he is dangerous. But he
moves inside and outside, down the wing, on the
left. It's very difficult to think about controlling a
player who is uncontrollable. There's no way.
But it's only one game and Juventus have as
much chance as Barcelona. Anything is possible
over 90 minutes and Juventus have their weapons,
too: they are strong defensively, very good at dead
balls and have a powerful attack. They are capable
of playing an extraordinary game.
We all talk about Barcelona's brilliance, but let's
not forget that Juventus have won the Coppa Italia
and their league as well. Italian teams are used to
competing in the big tournaments like this. We
have seen it in World Cups, in European
Championships and now in the Champions League
too.
This game for Juventus is interesting because it is
probably the last for a group of footballers who
have been working towards this moment for
several seasons. It looks like Andrea Pirlo, Carlos
Tevez and Paul Pogba could be moving on in the
summer – and they will want to sign off with a
win.
The midfield battle will be key. Arturo Vidal and
Roberto Pereyra, if he plays, can help Juventus in
the transition between defence and attack.
Barcelona press high up the pitch, so their role in
moving the ball forward quickly and with quality
will be vital.
Likewise Ivan Rakitic and Sergio Busquets because
they will compensate for the attack by adding the
balance Barcelona have had this season. That has
allowed Andres Iniesta, Neymar, Suarez and Messi
to showcase their attacking qualities - but they
wouldn’t be able to do so as effectively without
that support from midfield.
Also in midfield, this will be the last time we see
Xavi and Pirlo together in a big match like this one.
They are two wonderful footballers and I would
advise any young players to watch them: the way
they compete, their behaviour on the pitch, their
movement, personality and the way they live this
sport.
They have played the game with a style that is
completely different from any other footballer in
their position over the last few years - and they
have left their mark on Italian and Spanish football.
There is also the prospect of a fantastic duel
between Messi and Tevez. One of the two will be
champion again – and that makes us Argentines
happy.
All in all, it will be a great spectacle.
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