Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon believes Barcelona are clear favourites to win the Champions League final on Saturday.
The Bianconeri, like the Catalans, are striving for the treble after winning their domestic League and cup, and the No 1 is under no illusions as to the size of the task facing his side in Berlin.
“We set out to achieve this objective following the coaching change [Massimiliano Allegri replacing Antonio Conte last summer], but we didn’t plan to do so this season,” he said at a Press conference.
“It’s come earlier than expected, but like all surprises, they’ve given us a lot of excitement and joy.
“All emotions will be present and play a very important role [before and after the match].
“In the morning, I imagine that [both sets of players] may have some anxiety and nerves, but I think over the 90 minutes we’ll see the two teams just as they are.
“In a game like [Saturday’s], there are certain factors that will emerge and lead to the final result.
“From the objective point of view, Barcelona are the favourites, with all their merit and great individuals.
“With a team that have [Lionel] Messi, Neymar, [Luis] Suarez and even [Andres] Iniesta, it’s impossible for them not to be favourites, but we won’t be victims. We also have [Carlos] Tevez, [Leonardo] Bonucci …
“I’ve been totally convinced [by Marc-Andre ter Stegen]. My feelings about him have been confirmed [this season].
“My son is a big fan of Neymar’s, but also [a] Juve [fan]. He told me that he’d suffer if the match went badly for us and would have preferred other opponents in the final.
“If things go well, we’ll do something great. Personally, I’ll be very happy, but we’ll be away for the next month and a half, so we have to win the match for that reason.
“If we don’t win [on Saturday], neither should we pull our hair out.”
