Champions League final: How Juventus and Barcelona made it to Berlin
Friday 5 June 2015 10:40, UK
As Juventus and Barcelona prepare for Saturday's Champions League final live on Sky, we look at their routes to Berlin's Olympic Stadium.
JUVENTUS
Group A – 2nd (W3 D1 L2)
Juventus kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 win at home to Malmo thanks to a double from Carlos Tevez. It was an encouraging start, but it was followed by back-to-back 1-0 defeats away to Atletico Madrid and Olympiacos. Those results left Juve third in the group, but they bounced back when the Greek side visited Turin.
Olympiacos made it tough for them, however, moving into a 2-1 lead after Andre Pirlo’s opener, before an own goal and a strike from Paul Pogba gave the hosts a crucial 3-2 win. Malmo were beaten 2-0 in Sweden as Juventus moved up to second place, and they took their place in the knockout stages after a goalless draw with Atletico, who went through as group winners.
Last 16 – v Borussia Dortmund (5-1 on aggregate)
Juventus were drawn against Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund, who had topped their qualifying group despite their poor form in the Bundesliga. Tevez struck his fourth European goal of the season to put Juventus in front in the first leg, but a defensive mix-up allowed Marco Reus to equalise. Alvaro Morata put Juventus back in front, but they had to settle for a slender one-goal lead despite having the better of the second half.
The second leg at the Westfalenstadion was expected to be a similarly close encounter, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side blew the Germans away. A 30-yard stunner from Tevez broke the deadlock after just three minutes, and they added two more goals in the closing stages despite losing Pogba to injury. Tevez set up Morata for the second, and the Argentine capped a fine individual performance by grabbing his second goal of the night.
Quarter-final – v Monaco (1-0 on aggregate)
In their first Champions League quarter-final appearance since 2006, Juventus were drawn against Arsenal’s slayers Monaco. Juve were strong favourites going into their first leg clash in Turin, but Monaco were the better side in a goalless first half.
The key moment came just 12 minutes after the break when Ricardo Carvalho was penalised for bringing down Morata in the box, with Arturo Vidal thumping home the resulting spot kick. The second leg was a game of few chances. Monaco went closest when Patrice Evra cleared a Gianluigi Buffon punch off the line, while Pirlo struck the crossbar for Juventus with a free kick late on.
Semi-final – v Real Madrid (3-2 on aggregate)
Juventus’ route to the final was blocked by holders Real Madrid, who were out for their 11th title. Allegri’s side were determined to spoil the party, however, and they secured a deserved 2-1 win in the first leg at Juventus Stadium. Morata struck the opener against his old side after eight minutes, and Tevez’s penalty put them back in front after Cristiano Ronaldo’s header equaliser.
At the Bernabeu, Ronaldo’s penalty gave Madrid the edge as they dominated the first half, but they would come to regret not adding to their lead as Morata pulled Juventus level in the 57th minute. The Madrid-born striker refused to celebrate his goal, but it proved to be enough for Juve to reach their first Champions League final in 12 years.
BARCELONA
Group F – 1st (W5 D0 L1)
Barcelona began the group stages with a rather underwhelming 1-0 win over Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia as Gerard Pique headed the only goal of the game. They travelled to Paris St Germain in the next round of fixtures, where they suffered a 3-2 defeat. Lionel Messi and Neymar were on target for the Catalans, while David Luiz, Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi scored for PSG. It had been a rocky start for Barca, but they claimed back-to-back wins over Ajax before thumping Apiel 4-0 away from home.
That set up a mouth-watering clash with PSG, which they had to win in order to claim top spot in Group F. Former Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring for the visitors, but their lead only lasted a few minutes as Messi tucked away Luis Saurez’s pass for their equaliser. Neymar then put Barcelona in front shortly before half-time, and Suarez rounded off the scoring in the 77th minute.
Last 16 – v Manchester City (3-1 on aggregate)
Manchester City were just about the toughest opponent Barcelona could have drawn in the last 16, but they made a blistering start in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium. Former Liverpool striker Suarez scored twice on his return to English soil in a one-sided first half.
Barcelona should have been completely out of sight, but Sergio Aguero pulled a goal back after the break, Joe Hart saved Messi’s penalty and the Argentine missed an open goal in the closing stages after Gael Clichy was sent off. Back at the Nou Camp, Messi bewitched City with a mesmerising individual display.
The 27-year-old set up Ivan Rakitic’s opener with a sensational dribble and cross-field pass, and it was only thanks to Hart’s shot-stopping heroics that City avoided a thrashing. Aguero missed a penalty for City late on, but anything other than a Barcelona victory wouldn’t have been a fair reflection of the game.
Quarter-final – v Paris St Germain (5-1 on aggregate)
Barcelona met PSG again in the last eight, but on their return to the French capital there was no repeat of their group stage defeat. A cool finish from Neymar and another brace from Suarez gave Barcelona a three-goal advantage, and a late own goal from Jeremy Mathieu did little to change the complexion of the tie as Luis Enrique’s men took a big step towards the final. The second leg was similarly one-sided, as Neymar’s double finished the job for Barcelona and booked their place in the last four.
Semi-final – v Bayern Munich (5-3 on aggregate)
Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona homecoming was a chastening affair for the Spaniard, whose Bayern Munich side were ripped apart by Messi in the first leg at the Nou Camp. The injury-hit German side managed to cling on until the 77th minute, when Messi fired home from just outside the box.
He left Jerome Boateng on his backside with his stunning second goal, and Neymar made it three deep in injury time. With those two goals, Messi moved up to 77 in the Champions League – one behind leading scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bayern faced an impossible task in the second leg at the Allianz Arena, and a first half double from Neymar put the tie beyond doubt. Guardiola’s men restored some pride by winning the game 3-2, but Barcelona eased into the their first European final since their victory over Manchester United in 2011.
Watch the Champions League final live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 6pm on Saturday
