rear number ten

Chapter 244 Before the Finals
Juventus and Barcelona, ​​as the two teams that finally participated in the final of this UEFA Champions League.Barcelona, ​​as the team that can be said to be the best football club in the world in recent years, the last time they reached the final of the Champions League was in 2011.And that year, they finally defeated Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in England and won the Champions League trophy.

However, for Juventus, the "visiting team" of this game, the memory goes back to May 2003, 5. At the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, Juventus and AC, also from Italy, The Milan team, the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 28-2002 season was held on this stadium.

This is a game that the remaining neutral fans, apart from the fans of both teams and many head coaches, absolutely don't like.Because the two sides played a full 90 minutes plus 30 minutes of overtime, a total of 120 minutes of game time, the coaches of both sides and the players they led showed good football tactical execution capabilities.

Even in the first half of extra time, AC Milan's defender, Roque Junior, was injured and AC Milan had to play 10 against 11.But even so, AC Milan dragged the game to the end of 120 minutes, the whistle sounded, and the score was still 0-0.
Therefore, when they heard the end whistle of the 30-minute overtime, those neutral fans who watched the game drowsy immediately felt like a shot in the arm.After all, what follows is an extremely tense and exciting penalty shootout.

When the suffocating penalty shootout ended, the result was that the Juventus fans could not help crying secretly.

2 to 3, Juventus regrettably lost in the penalty shootout.Although at that time has become "the best goalkeeper in the world", perhaps one of the Buffon save AC Milan's Seedorf and Kaladze two penalties.But the Brazilian goalkeeper of AC Milan on the opposite side, Dida seemed to be "opening up" in the penalty shootout.Penalties saved by Trezeguet, Sarajeta and Montero.In the end, Shevchenko's penalty kick made Juventus coach "Silver Fox" Lippi the first coach to lose three Champions League finals for the first time.But this cannot conceal Lippi's greatness.

But even though Juventus fans are sad, looking at the 29-year-old Del Piero, 27-year-old Camoranesi, 26-year-old Trezeguet, and 25-year-old Bu Feng, Gianluca Gianluca.The older Nedved, Davis and others are just 31 or 2.

Therefore, Juventus fans have every reason to believe that their "Bianconeri," under the leadership of "Silver Fox" Lippi, will make a comeback next season, or the next season, and set foot on the Champions League final again. The field of the stadium.And that time, even if they shed tears, it was definitely the tears after victory.

But what Juventus fans didn't expect was that in the following three years, the team they supported, without any major changes in the main lineup, failed to reach the Champions League final again.However, what Juventus fans all over the world did not expect was that in the summer of 2006, when the Italian national team was preparing for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. The sudden outbreak of the "Phone Gate" incident caused his beloved and supported Juventus to be relegated to the second division and imposed a penalty.And this "Bianconeri," also fell apart immediately.A group of masters scattered far away.

But fortunately, there are still many superstars staying in the Juventus team that has been relegated to the second division, "Zebra Prince," Del Piero, Buffon, Camoranesi, Nedved and Trey Zege.Then add the former Juventus midfielder, the captain of the French national team that won the 98 World Cup, and Didier Deschamps, who led Monaco to the Champions League final in 2004, became the head coach of Juventus.

Juventus, led by Didier Deschamps, returned to Serie A three rounds ahead of schedule even under the premise of being penalized, and won the Serie B championship two rounds ahead of schedule.Juventus, which has returned to Serie A, will continue to accumulate strength in the next few seasons.Finally, as the former captain, Antonio Conte returned to the Alpi Stadium, but this time he was the team's head coach.

He led Juventus back to the Serie A title.

However, even if Antonio Conte leads Juventus to regain the Serie A championship, it is still a "three consecutive championships." However, he failed to lead Juventus to a further step in the Champions League. Tie led Juventus to the best results in the Champions League.As for reaching the semi-finals in the Europa League, but the Europa League is no longer the UEFA Cup.

For many reasons, Conte left Juventus in the summer after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.And Allegri, who succeeded him and became the head coach of Juventus this season, seems to be doing much better than Conte.

Won the league championship for the fourth consecutive season and won the Coppa Italia again after a gap of 20 years.In addition, he led Juventus to win Dortmund and Real Madrid all the way.Finally into the Champions League final.Therefore, under such circumstances, many Juventus fans are already full of longing for the upcoming Champions League final at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.Even if their opponent is Barcelona, ​​one of the best teams in the world in the last ten years.

But the Barcelona team, they are the team that has led the development of football in the world in recent years, although their head coach led Barcelona to the Champions League final three times in 2009, 2010 and 2011 , the two-time Champions League winner Guardiola was replaced by Luis Henrik.But their players, who make every team in the world crouch under their feet, are still in the team.

Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Pique, Dani Alves, Busquets.Although some old players have left and some newcomers have come, the art of Barcelona football is still rooted in the hearts of these players.

However, compared to the Barcelona team that wowed the world five years ago, they are now five years older.Harvey is already a 35-year-old veteran and can no longer play the full 90 minutes of the game.At the same time, Xavi has already announced that he will leave Barcelona this summer.

As for other players, Iniesta is younger, but he is already 31 years old.But Messi, Pique is still in the golden age of a player.It seems that it is not easy for Real Madrid or other La Liga teams to completely suppress Barcelona in the league.

Well, regardless of the other teams, both Juventus and Barcelona came to Berlin, the capital of Germany, a few days before the start of the Champions League.And the two teams also showed their talents and found the host hotel and training stadium.

(End of this chapter)