Champions League winners: Juventus fail to solve the same old Barcelona problem as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez exploit weakness

Juventus were on top and searching for a winner until Barcelona sniffed blood

Lionel Messi skips over the challenge of Arturo Vidal (Getty Images)

That magic number. Perhaps the greatest attacking trio the game has ever seen appropriately win a treble, and this winning performance was all the more fitting because it was almost a showcase of why it is so difficult to beat them.

Juventus were only on top once in the 90 minutes, but that just happened to be when Luis Suarez scored the fateful goal from a Lionel Messi run, as they gleefully exploited the space no side can afford to give them. It was the story of this game, and the story of this treble.

Max Allegri had mentioned the dilemma that his team faced on the eve of this final, and it is one that has pretty much defined Barcelona’s season. How exactly do opposition sides devote the number of players needed to just try to control Messi, but still have enough left over to block everyone else out and actually attack themselves?

Juventus struggled to strike that balance from the off, and it was only three minutes until the Catalans displayed just how difficult the reality of that dilemma is. In fact, it perfectly summed up the issue that all 10 Barça outfield players were involved in the key opening goal, and that Messi only needed to hit the pass that opened it all up.

He picked out Jordi Alba on the left with a beautiful arched ball before the full-back nicked it inside for Neymar. The Italian side’s defenders had already showed a concerning degree of trepidation any time the Brazilian began to flick the ball about with his foot, but that evidently had more of an effect than just beating them.

It meant he could more easily outfox them. When he was on the ball in the box everyone expected a run at goal but he played a sideways ball that no one anticipated except Andres Iniesta, who then helped it on for Ivan Rakitic to finish. It was as delicious as it was devastating. And it deepened Juve’s dilemma.

They now knew that at some point they would have to chase the game and inevitably leave space behind, against an attack of that remarkable quality. There was also the fact that this was not the new attack coming together, but their whole team, harking back to the club’s vintage use of possession. In every direction Juventus looked, a different type of attack seemed to present itself.

The one potential weakness, however, was an ironic consequence of that quality. After the goal, Barça became exceptionally casual, almost too confident in their ability. Many players were trying tricks and didn’t seem to be going for their chances with the required ruthlessness.

It cost them, but Allegri also deserved credit for another way in which he has sought to redress balances between Juventus and better teams. One of the traits of their season – and what has been different from Antonio Conte’s time in charge – has been the way in which they save energy, only to then lift it at key spells in the game.

Barcelona lift the Champions League (Getty Images)

It happened in the semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, and it happened here. Juventus suddenly stepped it up, Claudio Marchisio’s backheel caught the entire Barça defence out of step, and Alvaro Morata was left to finish.

Juventus were suddenly the better team, creating the better chances - but that meant they lost sight of the fact they still had the bigger job to do. They forgot about that dilemma. Now pouring forward, the Italians left that crucial extra space at the back, and Barça’s exceptional attack inevitably exploited it.

Andrea Pirlo in tears at the final whistle (GETTY IMAGES)

A Messi who was looking motivated to drag his team out of a difficult spell on his own burst out from the morass, before driving a venomous effort at goal. Gigi Buffon couldn’t hold it, and Luis Suarez couldn’t miss.

Juventus, in the end, could not solve the problem that everyone else has struggled with. It means that Barcelona’s multi-faced attack has claimed a treble.

Barcelona’s previous CL wins

1992 beating Sampdoria 1-0 in final (Wembley)

2006 Arsenal 2-1 (Paris)

2009 Man United 2-0 (Rome)

2011 Man United 3-1 (Wembley)

European Cup wins by country

15 Spain 12 England, Italy

Spanish v Italian finals

1957 Real Madrid beat Fiorentina

1958 Real beat Milan

1992 Barcelona beat Sampdoria

1998 Real beat Juventus

1964 Internazionale beat Real

1994 Milan beat Barcelona