Barcelona emerged victorious against Juventus in the Champions League final this weekend, which saw the Catalans seal an impressive treble (La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Champions League) in manager Luis Enrique’s first season at the club. Goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar were enough to ensure Barcelona ended their four-year wait for European silverware, and it caps an impressive revival for a side who were much maligned only a year ago.
After a trophyless campaign under former manager Gerardo Martino, the club opted to bring back an ex-player-turned-manager in an attempt to recreate the trophy-laded Pep Guardiola era between 2008 and 2012. Luis Enrique, who is a year older than his old teammate, played with Pep for five years at the Nou Camp, and is fully engrained in the Barcelona philosophy. His return could hardly have gone better.
They took the lead just minutes into the final against Juventus, with Ivan Rakitic coolly steering a square pass into the back of the net, following a free-flowing move involving Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Neymar and Andres Iniesta. The new arrival could hardly miss, and capped off a dream debut campaign after moving from Sevilla the previous summer.
Juventus had their chances to level the game in the first-half, but went into the break behind. Barcelona’ lapses at the back almost guarnateed a goal for the Italians at some part in the game, and it was proven right with Alvaro Morata capitalising on slack passing to score an equaliser in the 55th minute. The ex-Real Madrid striker was threatening all evening, but made no mistake from a rebounded effort that bounced into his path.
However, Barcelona weren’t to be denied. The Spaniards always looked threatening going forward with such a world-class attacking trio providing the goals, and it was one of the deadly trio that put the favourites ahead once more. After Lionel Messi had a low drives parried away, Luis Suarez finished the rebound to make it 2-1.
Juventus pressed for another equaliser, and came close in the second-half, with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter-Stegen looking fallible from balls into the box from out wide. But they didn’t make their chances count, and their pursuit for a leveller saw them short in numbers at the back, and the Old Lady were very susceptible to a Barcelona counter on many occasions.
Right at the death, a breakaway from the Spanish club wrapped things up. Neymar finished past Gianluigi Buffon following a swift counter-attack, and Barcelona celebrated their second treble in five years.
