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Barcelona lifts fifth Champions League title

Goals from Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar have given Barcelona a 3-1 win over Juventus in the Champions Lague final in Berlin on Sunday morning (AEST).

In a pulsating final, filled with action and chances at both ends, Barcelona took an early lead in the fourth minute, when an incisive move drove Barca into the penalty area where Andres Iniesta squared the ball for Rakitic to side-foot the ball home.

Juventus had plenty of chances as well in the first half, as Paul Pogba and Alvaro Morata hit shots wide or had them blocked by the Barcelona defence.

However Barcelona’s potent attack was hitting the Juventus defence in waves, and the Italian side was lucky to be only 1-0 down at half-time.

Barca could have put one hand on the trophy in the 48th minute, when a break down the left led to Suarez forcing a great save from Gianluigi Buffon at the near post.

Six minutes later Barcelona was made to pay for the failure to finish, as former Real Madrid player Alvaro Morata was on hand to score the equaliser for Juventus after a first shot from Carlos Tevez was saved by keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Both sides went in search of the lead, with attacks at both ends.

In the 68th minute Barcelona produced the vital goal, as Buffon could only parry Lionel Messi’s initial shot and Suarez followed up to crash the ball home.

Juventus pushed forward looking for the equaliser and Tevez came close in added time, but right at the end Barcelona came away with the ball and one final move saw Neymar complete the win for the Catalans with a classy finish.

The win gave Barcelona its fifth European Cup / Champions League victory, its first since 2011.

It also sealed the treble of the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa Del Rey for the Spanish side.

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