BERLIN–After one of soccer'smost destructive scandals,the task facing Barcelonaand Juventus in the ChampionsLeague final tomorrowseems simple. Showing thesport at its best, with anentertaining demonstrationof artistry, should ensure thatthe limelight swings back onthe players for at least a coupleof hours.It seems a heavy burden butthis will be a game starringLionel Messi, who possessesthe finesse and repertoire ofgoals to captivate the world inan instant.
"There are moments whenMessi has the ball and whathappens next is only down tohim," Barcelona teammateJavier Mascherano said. "Nomatter what his opponents do."Just look at the 10 goals hehas already scored in the 12games en route to the final inBerlin. He is now trying tobecome the first player to scorein three Champions Leaguefinals after netting in Barca's2009 and 2011 triumphs.
"An extra-terrestrial whoplays with us humans," is howJuventus goalkeeper GianluigiBuffon lauded the player he ispreparing to face on Saturday.Barcelona coach LuisEnrique cut straight to thepoint: "The best player in thehistory of football is beyonddoubt."A fourth Champions Leaguetitle would enhance Messi'scredentials to reclaim the BallonD'Or trophy from CristianoRonaldo and become a fivetimewinner of soccer's topindividual award.
Whetherscandal-scarred outgoing FIFAPresident Sepp Blatter is handingout that trophy one finaltime in January remainsunclear.As the Fifa crisis rumbleson, here are some things toknow about the ChampionsLeague final:THE POLITICAL GAMEBehind the scenes in Germany,the intrigue surroundingEuropean soccer's showpiecewill all be about who replacesBlatter at the helm of Fifa.
Blattersuccumbed to the intensifyingpressure on his presidencyby announcing plans toresign on Tuesday–only fourdays after his re-election.That sudden move put a haltto UEFA's plans to hold anemergency meeting in Berlinto discuss whether to boycottFifa and ultimately the WorldCup.Instead, Berlin could witnessthe start of unofficial electioneering,with UEFA PresidentMichel Platini the favorite tosucceed Blatter when the votetakes place sometime betweenDecember and March.
RESTORATION OF JUVE
The last week has exposedhow soccer has been corruptedon a vast scale, but the ChampionsLeague finalists have notbeen without scandal of theirown recently.Juventus is back in the finalfor the first time since 2003and the "Calciopoli" matchfixingscandal that emergedthree years later.After being revealed to haveinfluenced refereeing, Juventuswas stripped of its 2005 and2006 Serie A titles and relegatedfrom the topflight.
The reputation of the socalled"Old Lady" of Turin hasgradually been restored, withthe club winning the last fourItalian tiles. It now has a shotat lifting the European Cup forthe first time since 1996.
BARCA'S LEGAL WOES
Allegations of wrongdoinghave come on two frontsrecently at the Camp Nou.The Catalan giants arebanned from signing any playersthis year after being foundby Fifa to have broken rules onregistering minors as youthplayers.The club is also facing adamaging court case. Barcapresident Josep Bartomeu andpredecessor Alexandre "Sandro"Rosell are accused of taxevasion, including over thesigning of Brazil striker Neymarin 2013 for around $120 million.
FORMIDABLE FORWARDS
Has Neymar's contributionto the team been worth thelegal strife? The outcome oflegal proceedings could determinethat.On the field, the link-upbetween Neymar, Messi and$110-million 2014 recruit LuisSuarez has restored the attackingswagger that naysayers predictedhad gone when the teamfailed to collect a single trophylast season.
With the league and SpanishCup titles already secured, atreble could herald a return tothe dominant era under PepGuardiola between 2008 and2012.Barca has scored 28 goals inEurope this season to Juve's 16,and the terrifying trio up fronthas combined for 120 goalsacross all competitions."They have the best attackin the world," Juve midfielderPaul Pogba said.
Trying to stop them will bethe 37-year-old Buffon, one ofthe world's best goalkeeperswho has won every majorhonor in the game except thetop prize in Europe.Juve will be relying on Tevezfor goals. A Champions Leaguewinner with Manchester Unitedin 2008, the Argentine'scareer appeared to freefall atManchester City. But Tevez isthriving after two years at Juveand his radar for goal is workingagain.