Battle for Treble-Preview

Battle for Treble-Preview

Giorgio Chiellini, the man Suarez bit during last year’s World Cup, would not play in Saturday’s game due to a calf injury

With the treble up for grabs on Saturday, the Champions League final between La Liga winners Barcelona and Serie A victors Juventus will be historic. It’ll also be dramatic, as underdogs Juve try to slay the beast that is Barca’s front three.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, popularly called MSN by fan have scored a total of 120 goals, making them  European trio this year.

The reason behind their wild success is because of their selfless ways. If Messi is coming up and sees Suarez or Neymar is wide open at the net, instead of finishing it off himself, he’ll send the ball to his friends. (And, yes, the three get along off the pitch, as well.)

The forward-field talent will also likely be helped by a weakened Juve defense. On Tuesday, the Italian side announced key defender Giorgio Chiellini, the man Suarez bit during last year’s World Cup, would not play in Saturday’s game due to a calf injury. To make matters worse, his likely replacement, Andrea Barzagli, might still be recovering from a thigh muscle tear he sustained last month.

Meanwhile, Juve’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is already feeling the pressure. This week he compared Messi to an extraterrestrial being and called the Barca trident “the strongest in the world.”

Buffon said Juve, however, doesn’t plan to lay down and die.

In his words, “We will try to use our weapons, not to stop them but to limit their danger,” he said.

For that, Juventus will need to rely on its offence-capable midfielders Paul Pogba and Arturo Vidal.

While Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata, the duo that outscored Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, will take care of the front.

In short, while Juventus is facing a Sisyphean task, the team should not be counted out.

History is on Juve’s side. In, 2002-03, the Italian side beat Barcelona in Champions League play, that was when Messi was just 15 and still playing on the team’s youth squad. Times have changed.

Kickoff of the Champions League final in Berlin is set for Saturday at 7:30pm.