Champions League Betting Preview: Final, June 6
At long last, we arrive in Berlin.
One team was always expected to still be standing at this point. The other, not so much.
Barcelona, the indomitable attacking juggernaut that has stomped on everything in its path thus far with ruthless efficiency, is the heavy favourite. Juventus, at times an impenetrable defensive force that has plenty of exciting talent going in the other direction, will be more than accustomed to playing the role of underdog.
Can they pull off another upset of a Spanish giant - like they did in the semi-finals against Real Madrid - or will Lionel Messi and company prove a task too tall to overcome.
Here's a betting overview of the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final:
Juventus vs. Barcelona
Odds:
| Result | bet365 | BetVictor | William Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | 5/1 | 21/4 | 9/2 |
| Draw | 16/5 | 16/5 | 3/1 |
| Barcelona | 61/100 | 3/5 | 8/13 |
| Over 2.5 | 19/20 | 19/20 | 10/11 |
| Under 2.5 | 17/20 | 9/10 | 10/11 |
Analysis: How do you stop Barcelona?
That's the query Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri - who has gone from having his vehicle pelted with eggs upon his arrival at the club to becoming a cult hero - has been grappling with in the build-up to Saturday's eagerly anticipated Champions League final.
How do you slow down a trio that is comprised of the best player in the world, arguably the most complete striker on earth and someone who, at just 23, is already one of the most prolific Brazilians of all time? A trio that has scored 120 goals in all competitions this season.
"We need to play a tight game," Allegri said last week in what was, and remains, the understatement of the century.
You also need to hope, as Gianluigi Buffon noted, that Messi - who the Italian legend described as an "alien" - is human. Just for 90 minutes. Then you have a chance. If only a chance.
In truth, you can never fully stop Barcelona. Nobody can. Not this version. Slow them down, sure. Shut them down, no.
Juventus, and Allegri, are too smart not to realize that. They're too smart to simply sit back and absorb pressure for 90 (or 120) minutes. They will need to attack, as they did against Real Madrid. Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata, so good all tournament long, will need to be clinical, and Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba will need to be at their colossal best on both sides of the pitch.
And they'll need to have some luck on their side. Perhaps one of Messi's sublime left-footed efforts is an inch off, and smashes the post instead of rippling the mesh.
As Buffon said, they have to hope.
Will all of those things go Juventus' way on Saturday at the Olympiastadion in Berlin? It's possible. They've defied the odds and expectations already in this tournament.
But this task, even for a team so well-organized and, frankly, damn talented, will likely prove too much.
Look for Barcelona to clinch their treble.
Prediction: Barcelona 3, Juventus 1
The Play: Barcelona to win and Over 2.5 goals at 107/50 (bet365)
(Odds courtesy: bet365, BetVictor, William Hill)