Juventus gear up for Champions League showdown with Barcelona as Andrea Pirlo, Paul Pogba and Co are put through their paces for the final time

Barcelona and Juventus clash in the Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on Saturday night
The Juventus players made their final preparations on Friday evening as they trained on the pitch on eve of final
Gianluigi Buffon, Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba seemed relaxed as they trained ahead of the European showpiece

Published:
16:50 GMT, 5 June 2015

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Updated:
18:25 GMT, 5 June 2015

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Berlin has well and truly been hit by Champions League fever as Barcelona and Juventus make their final preparations on the eve of the biggest club game of the season.

The teams, both bidding to win domestic and European trebles this season, touched down on Friday ahead of the clash at the Olympic Stadium and will add the finishing touches to their game plans for the European showpiece on Saturday night.

Juventus were runaway victors in Serie A and also claimed the Coppa Italia, while Barcelona were propelled to the summit of La Liga by Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar, and also took home the Copa del Rey.

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba shows off his tricks and flicks in the glorious sunshine on Friday afternoon

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was all smiles as he looked in relaxed mood ahead of Saturday’s European showpiece

Andrea Pirlo and the rest of the Juventus squad are out through their paces at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin

Massamiliano Allegri talks to his squad as they prepare to stop Barcelona in Friday’s Champions League final

Midfield maestro Pirlo shakes hands with striker Fernando Llorente as the team make their final preparations

Former Manchester United youngster Pogba smiles as takes in the surrounding of the stadium

Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal deep in conversation as the Juventus players train at the Olympic Stadium

France international Pogba and team-mate Kingsley Coman chat to one another during Friday’s training session

Former Manchester United left back Patrice Evra, who won the tournament in 2008 with the Red Devils, trains on Friday

Italy playmaker Pirlo and Chile international Vidal battle for the ball during Friday’s training session at the Olympic Stadium

Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli (left) and Simone Pepe (right) share a joke with another team-mate during Friday’s training session

Italy No 1 Buffon works on his handling as he prepares for the Champions League final against Barcelona

Pogba takes the ball down on his chest as Juventus take in a training session at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin

Former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Tevez goes through his stretching routine

The Olympic Stadium looking resplendent in the Berlin sunshine is set for Saturday’s showdown

The Juventus players were put through their paces by coach Massamiliano Allegri on Friday afternoon as they took in a light training session at the stadium under the glorious sunshine in the German capital.

A few nerves on the eve of the Champions League final is to be expected, though you wouldn’t have guessed it. Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon both had smiles on their faces, while former Manchester United youngster Paul Pogba seemed very relaxed as he showed off his keep-up skills.

Earlier in the day both squads flew into the German capital in style as they arrived at the Tegel Airport on private jets before making they each made their way to the team hotels.

The Juventus players, suited and booted, were the first to arrive at the Hotel Regent in the afternoon with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba looking relaxed.

Juventus manager Allegri addresses the press during a conference on the eve of the Champions League final

Buffon faces the media on Friday ahead of the Champions League final against Barcelona

Barcelona flags are left out on all the seats in the Catalan section of the stadium ahead of the final on Saturday night

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon waves to supporters as he arrives at the Hotel Regent in Berlin

France midfielder Paul Pogba steps off the team coach and makes his way to the entrance of the hotel

Tevez acknowledges the thronging crowd of Juve supporters who have gathered outside the hotel

Tevez arrives at the Hotel Regent in the city centre as the Juventus striker waves to the supporters out in force

Barcelona superstar Neymar is photographed by Berlin airport staff as he gets off the team bus

Midfield pair Vidal (left) and Pirlo appear relaxed ahead of Saturday’s game against Barcelona

Juventus fans chant and gesture to acknowledge the arrival of the team in the German capital

Juventus fans cheer as the team bus arrives at the hotel in Berlin for the Champions League final

Luis Enrique’s Barcelona squad later settled at the Grand Hyatt Hotel as Brazilian striker Neymar, dressed casually in comparison to the Italians, arrived wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Both sets of players were greeted by excited supporters eager to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars as the sun shone in Berlin.

Meanwhile, Barcelona forward Neymar can hardly wait to play in his first ever Champions League final on Saturday.

Neymar has followed in a rich tradition of Brazilian players to wear the Barca jersey but not all of them have lifted the Champions League trophy while at the club.

‘To play in the final is a dream that I’ve had as a boy and I’m very close to it,’ Neymar said to Spanish TV station TVE in the build-up to the match against Juventus in Berlin.

Tevez will look to sign off a magnificent season with Juventus by winning the Champions League

The two official team coaches are seen at the airport in anticipation of the two squads arriving in Berlin

Massimiliano Allegri, the Juventus manager, photographed on arrival in Germany alongside his team

Barcelona’s Brazil duo of Dani Alves (left) and Neymar pose for an Instagram picture on the plane to Berlin

Ivan Rakitic (left) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen prepare to depart Spain with the Barcelona squad

‘We hope we play a great game and we win.’

The Primera Division champions last won the competition in 2011 and were eliminated last season by Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals in Neymar’s first year at the club.

Neymar has scored nine goals in the Champions League this season, one less than team-mate Lionel Messi, who is the tournament’s leading scorer.

The 23-year-old forms a star-studded attacking trio alongside Messi and Luis Suarez that has combined for 120 goals in all competitions.

‘To play with Messi and Luis Suarez is a pleasure,’ the Brazil international said. ‘It’s an honour to play with two football giants as they are.’