Containing Barca's MSN Will Be A Huge 'Task': Juve Coach


(MENAFN- Arab Times) Stopping prolific Barcelona forwards Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the Champions League final will be a formidable task, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said after his side clinched their place in next month's showpiece in Berlin.

Juve eliminated holders Real Madrid 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a 1-1 draw in Wednesday's semi-final second leg at the Bernabeu and will bid for a third continental title when they meet four-times winners Barca at the Olympic Stadium on June 6.

Juve's hopes will hinge on whether they can thwart Barca's South American attacking trident of Messi, Neymar and Suarez, known in Spain as 'MSN', who have rattled in a club-record 114 goals between them in all competitions this season.

Neymar scored three and Messi struck twice as Barca eased past Bayern Munich 5-3 on aggregate in their Champions League semi-final.

Messi is joint top scorer with Real's Cristiano Ronaldo in the latest edition of Europe's elite club competition with 10 goals. Neymar has netted nine times and Suarez six.

"Anything is possible in one game but it will be a mountain of task to contain a team boasting the likes of Messi, Suarez and Neymar," Allegri told a news conference.

"Still, I am not thinking about Barcelona or the possibility of winning a treble just yet because we first have the Italian Cup final against Lazio," he added.

Both Juve and Barca have a chance of completing a treble of Champions League and domestic league and Cup titles.

Juve have wrapped up a fourth successive Serie A triumph, while Barca can clinch a fifth La Liga title in seven years with a win at last Atletico Madrid on Sunday. They play Athletic Bilbao in the King's Cup final at the end of the month.

The Champions League final will pit Uruguay striker Suarez against Juve's Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini, who Suarez bit on the shoulder at last year's World Cup finals in Brazil.

Suarez, who subsequently joined Barca from Liverpool, was banned for four months and it will be the first time they have faced each other since the incident.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said he isn't the man to judge whether he will stay in charge of the Spanish giants next season after Juventus dumped the holders out of the Champions League.

The Italian champions will face Madrid's eternal rivals Barcelona in the final on June 6 after former Real striker Alvaro Morata struck the vital away goal to secure a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday night as Juventus progressed 3-2 on aggregate.

Madrid now look certain to end the season without having won a major trophy as Barca also lead La Liga by four points with just two games remaining.

And Ancelotti could even have overseen his last match from the bench at the Bernabeu after he was given a two-match touchline ban earlier on Wednesday for sarcastically applauding the referee at the end of his side's 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

"I don't have to think (about my future)," said the Italian.

"If the club are happy with what I have done in these two years then I will stay.

"My future for me is decided. I would like to stay here but I know how things are in football and the club have the right to change the coach if they want to.

"I am satisfied with my work here, above all because I have a very good relationship with the players and support from the club in good and bad moments. I evaluate my time in a positive manner."

Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half penalty looked to have Madrid on course for arguably the biggest club match of all time against Barca.

However, a combination of poor finishing and some excellent goalkeeping from Gianluigi Buffon prevented the hosts from building on their lead and Juventus shut up shop after Morata had put them back in front in the tie just before the hour mark.

"We lacked very little, it was small details," lamented Ancelotti.

"We didn't have a lot of luck. If we had luck to win the Champions League in the last minute (last season) then maybe we lacked it tonight.

"If I have to criticise something it would be the way we played in the first leg. I thank my players because they have worked as hard as they could."

The hero from last season's final in Lisbon, Sergio Ramos, was partly to blame for Juventus' goal as he played Paul Pogba onside before Morata rifled home the Frenchman's knockdown.

However, the Spanish international also blamed Madrid's failure to convert their chances as the reason they fell short at the semi-final stage for the fourth time in five years.

"After the first goal we thought it was done," said Ramos.

"We have to congratulate them. They have gone through because they have done things better.

"It wasn't just one game but two. Here we didn't score enough goals and weren't efficient in front of goal."


Arab Times

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