Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri feels that his side can only do so much if they are to stop Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the Champions League final.
The Bianconeri travel to Berlin to face the Spanish champions on June 6, but did admit facing the Blaugrana will be a tough task.
“Barcelona play a brand of football completely different to anyone else,” he told the press.
“Players like Messi and Neymar are totally different from all the others. I don’t think you can many things [to stop them], maybe only playing compact, play to your limit or look to cancel out their best features.
“We will obviously prepare for penalties as it is a final, but I don’t think it will end up like this.”
Looking to his main goal threat, Carlos Tevez, Allegri feels he has had a brilliant season, but his team are best prepared looking at their opponents.
“Tevez means a lot [to Juventus], but so do many others,” the tactician said.
“He has had an extraordinary year and is a big player for us. We are preparing for the game but getting to know the characteristics of Barcelona.
“We won’t be having three training sessions a day because it is Champions League final. These games should be prepared for calmly.
“Marking Messi is practically impossible, we have to be good at working well around him. But other than Messi, they have many good technical players.
“We must play with courage, in the knowledge that there will be difficult moments, but also times when things go our way.
“We are not going to Berlin to sacrifice our game. We know there will be some difficulties, and in a Champions League final it is normal to face the best players in the world, but it shouldn’t create any anxiety for us.”
Allegri also looked back to previous meetings with Barcelona when he was AC Milan coach.
“With Milan, playing Barcelona was somewhat different,” he continued. “But playing against them is different from the other teams, it takes great patience and a lot of mental strength.
“But Saturday will be very different, because the game must be won, we have to be very good.
“It has been fun to prepare for this game, I think it is a dream for every coach to get to prepare for a Champions League final, and I think I am lucky.
“First of all to be part of this group and train these lads, who have been given a lot over the last four years, and I think we have given them even more this year.”
