Who will be leaving Berlin with the Champions League league trophy on Saturday night?
Barcelona and Juventus will go head-to-head in the Champions League final on Saturday night in Berlin. The final is expected to be watched by an estimated 165 million people in 200 different countries.
For the first time in the history of the Champions League both finalists have the opportunity to win the treble of league title, domestic cup and European Cup.
Barcelona won La Liga and the Copa del Rey, while Juventus won their fourth consecutive Serie A title and also won the Coppa Italia.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique have both received criticism in the past and will be looking to prove their doubters wrong with a Champions League triumph in Berlin.
Barcelona heads into this clash as favourites for victory at odds of 8/13. One of the main reasons for their outstanding season so far is their lethal strike trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. The trident has scored 119 goals this season in all competitions and has proved very difficult to stop in recent months.
The Bianconeri does have one of the most solid defences in Europe though and they cannot be written off at odds of 5/1 for victory in 90 minutes.
Bet365 are offering the ‘Method of Victory’ market on this match, which has proved popular in the past with punters who believe that the game could be settled in extra-time, or penalties. The Catalan giants could be a good bet to claim victory in extra-time at odds of 11/1.
The final will be a chance for exciting young Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba to make his mark. The French international has been linked with a big money move to the Spanish champions, but the 22-year-old has also been linked with the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Pogba is a player who has scored some spectacular goals this season. In fact no other midfield player in the top European leagues has scored more goals from outside the penalty box than the former-Manchester United youngster.
At the other end of the age spectrum is Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez, who will be making his last ever appearance for the Catalan giants. The former-Spanish international is the most decorated player in his country’s history.
Xavi has been with the Spanish giants since he was just 11 and will be looking to leave on a high, with a move to the Middle East on the cards this summer. The veteran midfielder has received emotional tributes in the past week, including one from fellow La Masia graduate Andres Iniesta.
Winning the Champions League would be the perfect end for a player who has served Barcelona so well for the best part of a quarter of a century.
The first goalscorer market will obviously be focussed on Barcelona’s lethal trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar. In a twist of fate Suarez will face two players he has controversially clashed with in the past.
The Uruguayan was involved in an alleged verbal racist attack on Juventus full-back Patrice Evra while the pair where plying their trade in the Premier League. The striker will also come up against centre-back Giorgio Chiellini, who he bit during last summer’s World Cup.
Suarez may be fancied for first goalscorer, but it is hard to look past Messi in that particular market. The Argentinian is currently odds of 4/1 to open the scoring in the final. Messi seems to have rediscovered his best form this season and another Champions League trophy would no doubt do his chances of claiming the Ballon d’Or award for a fifth time no harm at all.
For even more odds and a fantastic selection of markets, be sure to look for this fixture on bet365.com under Soccer > UEFA Champions League.
Who will come out on top in the Champions League final?
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