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Champions League Final: Where the match was won and lost

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 6 Jun 2015

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Barcelona completed an historic second treble with a 3-1 victory over Juventus in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday. Here we relive the key moments of drama from the Berlin showdown:

 

4 – Goal: A dream start for Barcelona. A spectacular ball forward from Lionel Messi is controlled wonderfully by Jordi Alba. The defender lays it off for Neymar, who plays it through for Andres Iniesta after a bit of trickery – the Barca skipper then rolling a pass across for Ivan Rakitic to apply a simple left-footed finish from 10 yards. All bar one of Barca’s outfield players get a touch in the build-up to the opener.

8 – A ball over the top for Neymar is played into the area first time, but Stephan Lichtsteiner blocks it with his arm. The referee says there was little he could do about it as he denies Barcelona a penalty.

11 – Arturo Vidal is a bit over-zealous early on and picks up a warning following a series of fouls, but it is not long before he arrives late at the feet of Sergio Busquets and is shown the first yellow card of the encounter.

15 – Barcelona show no signs of slowing down. Luis Suarez – the only Barca man not involved in the early goal – makes a good run into the area from the right and squares a pass for Dani Alves. The right-back unleashes a well-placed shot but goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon reacts brilliantly to get a hand to it before the follow-up is knocked onto the roof of the net.

22 – Vidal – already booked – continues to throw his weight around and is pulled up for a foul on Alves. The Chilean then proceeds to swing an arm carelessly into the back of the head of the full-back before waving a finger in his face.

24 – Chances are limited for Juve but Alvaro Morata gets a sight of goal and curls wide of the far post under pressure from Alba.

25 – Claudio Marchisio is next to try his luck for the visitors, but lifts his well-struck effort just over the crossbar.

37 – After a brief lull, Juve have claims for a penalty turned down. Paul Pogba is felled by Alba as he bursts into the penalty area, but the referee waves play on and replays show the contact occurred outside the box anyway.

HT – Juventus 0 Barcelona 1

49 – Rakitic breaks forward as Barca look to extend their advantage early in the second half, but Suarez’s eventual effort is tipped wide by Buffon.

51 – Barca’s fearsome attacking threesome combine brilliantly to tee up Messi for a shot at goal, but the Argentine lifts his effort over the crossbar.

55 – Goal: Marchisio starts the move with a delightful back-heel into the path of Lichtsteiner. The right-back rolls a pass across for Tevez in the centre, but his shot on the turn is stopped by a diving Marc-Andre ter Stegen. However, ex-Real Madrid forward Morata, who scored in both semi-finals against his former club, pounces on the goalkeeper’s parry to knock home.

67 – After Tevez fires narrowly over, Juve have further penalty appeals turned down following a tangle between Pogba and Alves in the box.

68 – Goal: Vintage Messi. He drives forward, forcing the defenders back and strikes for goal. Buffon gets down to keep the shot out but Suarez pounces on the rebound to fire into the ceiling of the net.

72 – Barcelona denied a third. Celebrations are cut short as Neymar heads the ball off his own right hand and into the back of the net. It’s far from deliberate, but a goal would have been harsh on Juventus had it been given.

78 – Xavi comes on for Iniesta to make his final Barcelona appearance.

87 – Suarez lands awkwardly as he tries to bring a ball down under pressure from Leonardo Bonucci. The Uruguayan pops up after a minute or so on the ground – some useful time wasted in the process.

89 – Marchisio makes a probing run forward and drives a shot back across goal. Ter Stegen does brilliantly to keep his feet moving, diving back to his left to knock wide.

90+7 – Goal: Juve pile forward for a late free-kick, but Barcelona deal with the threat and break three against one. Pedro rolls a pass to Neymar on the left and the Brazilian wraps up the win with the final kick of the match.

FT – Juventus 1 Barcelona 3

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SoccerNews

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