Neutrals root for Barcelona's flamboyance over Juventus' control
Usually by this time of the year curtains fall on the football season and the footballing world’s focus is more on transfers. However, that’s not the case this year, as the world still awaits the winner of this season’s Champions League in tonight’s final in Berlin.
For the first time in the history of the Champions League, the final will be staged in June. This is in sync with Uefa President Michel Platini’s character of tinkering with everything at his disposal – the venues, clubs, formats, dates, etc. Not content with moving the final from the traditional weekday (Wednesday) to Saturday, he has now pushed the final to June.
Nevertheless, that does nothing to shift focus from the much-awaited clash between Juventus and Barcelona tonight to decide the best club in Europe. It’s a clash between philosophies: the ever attacking Catalan giants, against the defensive Italians.
Like their owners, the Agnelli family (makers of Fiat automobiles), Juventus haven’t changed their style over the years. They never were a rampant, fast-flowing attacking team, always building slowly, depending on long balls, counterattacks and a sturdy defence to outwit their opponents.
On the other hand, Barcelona, renowned pass-masters, icons of modern day attacking football, the standard-bearers of the way football should be played, cannot afford to be wasteful. They must take their chances if they are to have any chance of beating this compact Juventus side, who perhaps have the infamous record of losing the most finals (five already).
Since winning the title in 1996, the Italians made it to consecutive finals in 1997 and 1998, losing both of them. Their last loss in a final came in 2003, to arch rivals Milan. Ironically, it was last time Barcelona and Juventus played each other, with Juventus winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Incidentally, Juventus had also beaten Real Madrid on their way to the 2003 final. And, they’ve already tamed Real in their own backyard. These facts are apt to trigger ominous thoughts in the minds of neutral fans, that they might do the same to Barcelona.
Nonetheless, one look at the quality Barcelona have at their disposal, and you’ll be forgiven for believing these to be pointless statistics to fill the page, which will have no bearing on tonight’s game. The only thing that will matter is how the quality players on either side perform on the big occasion tonight and if they will be able to convert the meagre chances that come their way.
A battle of contrasts – Can Barcelona’s attack steamroll Juventus’s defense?
Since Juventus’ victory over Real last month, loads of articles dominate newspaper pages elaborating how this sturdy Juventus side contained the powerful attack of Real Madrid. But, the truth is far from that.
Real’s loss was more about Real Madrid failing to take the chances than Juventus containing them. In the second leg, when Ronaldo put the Madrid team 1-0 up through a penalty, Juventus opened up and there were wide open spaces at the back.
Real had a golden chance to make it 2-0 and seal the tie, when Benzema in the middle teed up Ronaldo on the left. But, the Portuguese maestro, contrary to his character was indecisive and took the wrong decision of passing the ball to Bale when he should have shot at goal. Thereafter, Bale, Ronaldo and others missed several clear chances, which for months have been turned into goals. Thus, all that matters is the form of the day.
The word ‘Juventus’ is Latin for ‘youth’, yet nothing in this team is tantamount with youthfulness: an ageing squad, slow, yawn-inducing style of play, usage of tactics that stifle free-flowing football and border on the negative and everything else a young lover of football wouldn’t enjoy watching.
Even watching one of their best players, the renowned Andrea Pirlo, is like watching someone glide in slow motion. It’s as if the word speed doesn’t exist in his dictionary. Like some special forgettable, four-hour art movie that your friends have inspired you to watch because it has won an award, the only reason neutrals, raised on a diet of high-intensity modern day football, will watch Juventus is because they are in the final.
Barcelona, on the other hand, are the showstoppers; the synonym of entertainment, having the most exciting players, have scored more goals, and are the most successful team of our generation. Such is the assurance of joy watching Barcelona delivers, that many ask their mates on a weekend - “Shall we go for a movie/to the theatre/dine out/go for an outing or watch Barcelona play?”
In this scenario, anyone, as a neutral, will be forgiven for wanting Barcelona to win. And, if the team from Spain do win, the feeling of ‘All’s well that ends well’ feeling with football would be restored, as the right team wins the trophy. This is the need of the hour for the football to counter all the filth that’s emerging from FIFA’s tank of corruption.