Following a thrilling battle with Real Madrid last night (13/05/15) the world will now wait for the first Juventus Champions League final appearance since 2003. Against many pundits predictions the Italian champions managed to hold off Real Madrid at their very own stadium to finish the match 1-1. This meant that the aggregate score line was 3-2 in Juventus' favour booking them a place in the Champions League final against FC Barcelona on 6th June 2015.
The game opened frantically with both Karim Benzema and Arturo Vidal squandering chances at either end within the first few minutes. After 23 minutes veteran Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini conceded a penalty that was converted by Real Madrid's record-breaking goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. This goal put Real Madrid in the driving seat as the aggregate score sat at 2-2 at half-time. This meant that the Spanish side would progress to the final on away goals.
Ronaldo's goal brought him level with club legend Alfredo di Stefano on 307, joint second on the all-time goal scorers list for Real Madrid. However, the excitement for the Portugal international and his team-mates was short-lived. On 57 minutes former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata came back to haunt his old team by scoring for the second time in the semi-final. Morata's goal in the first leg had opened the scoring which led to a 2-1 victory and much to Real Madrid's dismay his goal in the second leg proved decisive.
The 22-year old did not celebrate either goal out of respect for his former employers and their fans but deep-down he must have been delighted. Earlier in the season Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti had said "He's cool in front of goal and a hard worker but we have no regrets about selling him'. It would be foolish to believe that the young Spaniard did not take great delight in responding to this comment in the best way possible; goals. With a dream-like script written for Morata his goal sent the travelling Juventus fans into raptures, a spectacular sight high up at the Bernabeu where a sea of blue was created by the Juventus away shirt.
Juventus Champions League Final versus Barcelona
Juventus saw out the rest of the match comfortably, and with Real Madrid struggling, it was clear that an El Clasico Champions League final was destined not to happen. So as the final whistle blew and the Juventus players celebrated there may have been a sigh of relief from the Barcelona players and fans. The annual battles between Real Madrid and Barcelona are always fiercely contested but are often a lottery in terms of the result. In facing Juventus on 6th June in Berlin, Barcelona will have a much more predictable opponent. While many pundits and fans are writing off Juventus' chances in the final already their victory over Real Madrid proves that the Italian champions are capable of beating anyone.
Despite some troubling times in recent years, which included a match-fixing scandal and subsequent relegation from Serie A, Juventus have climbed back to the top in Italy. The match against Barcelona will be the first Juventus Champions League final since they were defeated in an all-Italian final against AC Milan. Their last victorious campaign in the competition was an astonishing 19 years ago when they beat Dutch giants Ajax in the 1996 final.
The main talking point surrounding the Juventus Champions League final against Barcelona is the respective ages and fitness of the two teams. With Barcelona's significantly younger and fitter squad it might be that after such a long season Juventus' players will simply be out-run in the final. The Juventus team that faced Real Madrid in the second leg of the semi-final had 6 out of 11 players over the age of 30.
Whilst this statistic is not uncommon in Italian football the heightened physical standards of the Champions League demand a huge amount of fitness. Veteran Juventus players such as Pirlo, Chiellini and Buffon may well be outpaced and outclassed by the likes of Barcelona's Messi, Neymar and Suarez. They will however still feel confident that their mental strength and experience will see them through the high pressure situation of the final.
The Chances of Two Trebles
The 2014-15 season could be an historic one for either Juventus or Barcelona whoever is victorious on 6th June. The first Juventus Champions League final appearance since 2003 means that they are still in with a chance of securing a record-breaking treble. The Italian league has already been won and with a place in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio, Juventus are on the brink of an astounding treble-winning season. Likewise, Barcelona stand just three victories away from a treble-winning year in Luis Enrique's first season in charge. One more La Liga win will hand them the title, and their place in the Copa Del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao means that a Champions League final victory would secure them the treble.
So, why not cheer on the Italian giants in the first Juventus Champions League final appearance since 2003 by wearing an iconic black and white striped Juventus home shirt. At Soccer Box we have a huge range of official merchandise for Juventus, Barcelona and many more. Our online soccer store provides you with a large selection of football shirts, kits, training gear and accessories for kids and adults. You can even get a discount on your order by using our exclusive Soccer Box blog discount code.
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