04/19/24
June 06, 2015
Barcelona Wins Champions League, Completes the Treble: FC Barcelona has won the Champions League for the fifth time, defeating Juventus 3-1 Saturday on goals by Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar. Alvaro Morata scored for Juventus in the 55th minute to tie the match after Rakitic's early goal, but Lionel Messi and his teammates displayed the skill that enabled the Spanish side to complete a treble after also taking La Liga and Copa Del Ray. This was the last game in Barcelona for Xavi Hernandez, who after 17 years is leaving for the Al Sadd club in Qatar. Juventus sets a record for Champions League runner-up finishes at 6.
I saw the second half. It wasn't the domination I expected to see, but Juventus needed all the breaks to have any chance at all. Luis Suarez being on top of the soccer world a year after the bite is quite a storyline.
posted by rcade at 03:22 PM on June 07, 2015
I think that was the best game I've seen in a decade of watching the sport.
must have been giving thanks to the grounds crew
The field did seem to affect the play a great deal. Unrelated: did anyone else feel like Juve's style of playing it out from Buffon looked suicidal?
posted by yerfatma at 09:07 AM on June 08, 2015
Terrific match to watch--once Barcelona scored early Juventus couldn't stay with the Catennacio plan and had to come out, meaning that if Barca's finishing had been a bit better the game could've been over inside 15 minutes.
Juve held on and climbed back in but for all the talk beforehand of Pogba and Vidal they were no match for the opposition midfield, who constantly dispossessed them and broke up attacking moves. MSN were constantly harassing Barzagli and Bonucci, who must have been giving thanks to the grounds crew, but for me the real men of the match were Iniesta and Busquets for how well they stifled and starved Tevez and Morata.