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Champions League final ended with Barcelona emerging triumpant 3-1 win over Juventus on Saturday. Here is the Associated Press player rankings list based on points secured out of 10: (Reuters)
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FC Barcelona's Neymar celebrates with Luis Suarez after scoring a goal but it is later disallowed for handball. (Reuters)
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Neymar Celebrates after scoring the third goal for Barcelona against Juventus in Champions League Final. (Reuters)
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Juventus' Paul Pogba heads at goal against FC Barcelona in Champions League Final. (Reuters)
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Juventus' Paul Pogba appeals for a penalty against FC Barcelona in Champions League Final. (Reuters)
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Lionel Messi picks up the ball after Neymar has a 'goal' disallowed against Juventus in Champions League Final. (Reuters)
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Louis Suarez celebrates after scoring the second goal for Barcelona against Juventus in Champions League Final. (Reuters)
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Ivan Rakitic was on target as Barcelona led Juventus 1-0 after a dazzling first half in the Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday. (Reuters)
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All 10 outfield players were involved in the only goal that came in the fourth minute. Neymar fed captain Andres Iniesta in the box and he found Rakitic who made no mistake as he scored the fourth fastest goal in European Cup final history. (Reuters)
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<br>The most fearsome attack in world football has fired Barcelona FC to the Champions League final, putting it on the verge of a fourth Champions League title in a decade. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar have scored 25 of Barcelona FC's 28 goals on the way to the final and few are betting against them leading the club to a record second treble on Saturday.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Lionel Messi during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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1. Champions League final:<br> With one game still to play, the Barcelona trident has scored 120 goals in all competitions this season, bettering the mark of 118 set by Real Madrid's Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain in 2012.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Adriano and Rafinha during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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2. Champions League final:<br> Not only do they score goals, they create them too, and it is the nature of their unselfish play that has seen them reap the rewards and cause havoc to opposing defenses. "Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are two extraordinary players,'' Neymar said when asked about the front three's prowess on Friday. "The main factor is our friendship on and off the field and I think that helps. I think that's why things are going well for us."</br><br>Image Caption: Barcelona's Neymar, centre right, jokes with Ivan Rakitic, centre left, during a training session at the Olympic stadium in Berlin Friday, June 5, 2015 on the eve of the soccer Champions League final between Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona on Saturday. (AP)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>3. Champions League final:<br> In contrast to the famed "BBC'' of Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid, Barcelona FC's trio work together to create space in which the others thrive.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Neymar during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>4. Champions League final:<br> Luis Suarez has been the main beneficiary. Despite a slow start – a start delayed further after his four-month ban for biting Italy and Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup – the Uruguay forward has contributed 24 goals in his debut season at Barcelona FC. The delicate touch he displayed to control the ball before firing Barcelona to victory over Madrid in March illustrated why the Catalan side took a chance on the immensely talented but controversial player. Luis Suarez is arguably the missing piece Barcelona FC was looking for after a trophyless season in 2013-14 under Gerardo Martino.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Neymar and Gerard Pique during training( Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>5. Champions League final:<br> Neymar too appears to have matured. Still only 23, the Brazilian is in his second season at Barca and seems to have toned down flamboyance for greater efficiency. He has scored 38 goals this season, including decisive goals in important games, not least the injury time-strike against Bayern Munich that gave Barca one foot in the Champions League final with a 3-0 semifinal first leg result. He scored twice again in the second leg for a 5-3 aggregate win.</br><br>Image Caption: Barcelona's Neymar leaves the pitch after a training session at the Olympic stadium in Berlin Friday, June 5, 2015 on the eve of the soccer Champions League final between Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona on Saturday. (AP)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>6. Champions League final:<br> Lionel Messi remains the undisputed star, though. Despite not playing as an out-and-out forward the Argentine has bagged an incredible 58 goals alone in this campaign. If he scores again against Juventus on Saturday Lionel Messi will be the first player to score in three Champions League finals, having also found the net in Barca's 2009 and 2011 triumphs.</br><br>Image Caption: Barcelona's Gerard Pique, left, Pedro Rodriguez, centre, and Javier Mascherano battle for the ball during a training session at the Olympic stadium in Berlin Friday, June 5, 2015 on the eve of the soccer Champions League final between Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona on Saturday. (AP)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>7. Champions League final:<br> The 27-year-old's mere presence causes consternation in opposing defenses, which often resort to man-marking, sometimes with more than one defender. This is turn creates more space for his companions and very often proves futile in any case as the elusive Lionel Messi always looks capable of gliding past defenders. </br><br>Image Caption: Barcelona's Neymar, centre right, jokes with Ivan Rakitic, centre left, during a training session at the Olympic stadium in Berlin Friday, June 5, 2015 on the eve of the soccer Champions League final between Juventus Turin and FC Barcelona on Saturday. (AP)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>8. Champions League final:<br> Luis Suarez is the tallest of the forwards, yet is hardly a giant at 1.81 meters (5-foot-11). Neymar is 1.75 meters (5-foot-9) and Lionel Messi is 1.69 meters (5-foot-6). The latter certainly uses his low center of gravity to his advantage, as Diego Maradona, another Argentine great, did before him.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Luis Suarez and coach Luis Enrique during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>9. Champions League final:<br> It was the decision to switch Lionel Messi to the right and give Luis Suarez more room in front of goal that helped turn Barcelona FC's season around. The club was in turmoil after a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad on Jan. 4 capped a series of uninspired results. Lionel Messi missed training the following day, prompting talk of a rift with coach Luis Enrique. Sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta was sacked the same day, his assistant Carles Puyol left, and president Josep Bartomeu called for early elections. The crisis helped Enrique turn things around with the realization that Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez playing together up front left little room for either to operate. "It was very crowded so the decision was taken to move Leo further out,'' Barcelona FC defender Gerard Pique said.</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 Barcelona's Lionel Messi during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
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<br>10 Champions League final:<br> Lionel Messi duly obliged by leading Barcelona FC on a run that included 30 wins, two draws and two defeats. One of those losses came in the second leg of the semifinal against Bayern and was inconsequential as Barcelona FC still advanced on aggregate. The side is now tantalizingly close to repeating its 2009 Spanish league, cup and Champions League treble. "We have the best player in the world in Leo, and Neymar and Luis Suarez are magnificent players,'' Enrique said. "But we wouldn't be able to get so far with just three players. All the players are necessary. We face matches as a team."</br><br>Image Caption: FC Barcelona Training – UEFA Champions League Final Preview – Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany – 5/6/15 General view during training (Reuters)</br><br><strong>Read full story:</strong> <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/article/sports/juventus-vs-barcelona-champions-league-final-has-exceeded-juventus-expectations/81011/" target="_blank"><strong>Juventus vs Barcelona: Champions League final has exceeded Juventus’ expectations</strong></a>
