Preview: How Juventus to stop Barcelona's new Messi?

Lionel Messi is Barcelona's key figure when talking about a fifth Champions League title and the game against Italy's 2015 Champion Juventus Turin.

But it is Barcelona's new Messi that Juventus has to face and will desperately try to stop in the final in the Olympic stadium in Berlin this Saturday.

For years the Spanish club tried to improve their game and make it less addicted from Messi's genius talent - with one compulsory precondition: Messi would have to be part of the solution.

After years it worked and the result is obvious to millions of fans around the globe. What is now called "el tridente" (trident) stands for outstanding football specialists like Luiz Suarez, Neymar - and Messi and on top for a new goal record (which can be improved against Juventus) of remarkable 120 goals this season. 120 goals, scored by the genius like trio that beats the 2012 record of Spanish rival Real Madrid (118 goals by Cristiano Ronaldo, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema).

Other than Real's strikers Ronaldo and Gareth Bale (regarded as strong individuals) Barca's magic triangle acts as a team and pulverizes all ambitions of its opponents with a dynamic passing game and the chance of positions.

But the most important impulse came from Messi. Or, when you like, the Argentine had to first change his mind to make things work that brilliant. In the past Messi vetoed plans for a change due to his fears to lose influence and his exceptional position in his team.

Approximately 180 million Euros were paid by Barcelona for Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Villa and Alexis Sanchez. Before Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o failed. All supposed to be the new mates of Messi. All failed, because Messi said: No. For instance: Under Pep Guardiola 95 kilo giant Ibrahimovic was unhappy along the flanks as Messi was not willing to leave the center.

What did not work in the past, works now. Messi gave up his dogma to be the man in Barcelona's attacking center. When Suarez came - one of the teammates he his drinking Mate tee in advance of every training session - Messi left the center. The result was: Messi, the god like footballer, too was better than before.

Messi now comes along the flanks, right and left and from the midfield. To say it clear: Messi is everywhere. But the new Barcelona is more than Messi: It is Neymar and Suarez on top (both transferred for 150 million Euros).

If Messi scores in the 2015 final he would be the first player ever scoring in three different finals. But Messi made additional changes in his footballers-life. Due to a change in his food plan, the 27 year old lost between four to five kilos which made him lighter and faster. Messi started to drink essences of up to 40 of "Bach flowers" and orders rice without sauce, vegetables and fish. His trouble with his stomach disappeared nearly completely. Messi played sensational last six moth - before the problems were serious, and Messi's further carrier was in danger.

Despite the new Messi the 2015 final is the last chance for the "old" Barcelona as midfielder Xavi Hernandez (766 games/24 titles) will leave the club after the final. Elections for Barcelona's president will soon after take place as well, which might answer the question if coach Luis Enrique will stay with the club, that now in Berlin can win the second "treble" of its history. It could well be the most important title of all for Barcelona as it will enable the club to defend it's leading position in World football.

It will be more than interesting to see how the "underdog" from Italy will manage to get hold of Barcelona's lighting like attackers and the dizzying symphony of short passes. As much as the 2015 final is a kind of rebirthing for Barcelona, it is an international rebirthing for Juventus Turin.

On top the last chance for goal keeper legend Gianluigi Buffon (37), who never won the Champions League before despite a brilliant carrier. Buffon lost the 2003 (with Juve) final against Andrea Pirlo (38) and AC Milan. But Buffon and Pirlo together won the 2006 World Cup with Italy in Berlin.

Now Buffon and Pirlo stand for the hopes of Juve as well as the strikers Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata. Buffon was one of the players that stayed with the club after the manipulation scandal which led to Juve's enforced relegation. After one season in the "Serie B" the re-structured Juve team returned. Until now Juventus might not be among the top dogs of Europe's football such as Real, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United - but it has to be seen as a rising star.

And it will be a hard nut to crack for Barcelona as the Juve team combines many abilities that could be dangerous for the Spanish side. Tactic-wise Juve is top of the World, the entire team works like a machine that's only task is to keep their opponents off their own goal. Not many teams can close down space on a football pitch like they can and wait for chances, maybe for the only one that can decide a tight game like the one against Barcelona.

Pirlo might at his age not win the Olympic 100 Meter final anymore, but he is the man for the "deadly pass". Juve does not panic when they don't possesses the ball which by all means be a hard job against a dominating team like Barca anyway. Pirlo is a "playmaker" in a traditional sense with great skills as far as free kicks are concerned - and he is a genius when it comes to chance the games speed.

Like Barcelona Juventus can win the "treble" this season which shows the power of the North-Italian club that currently rules Italy's football despite the big clubs from Rome and Milan. And after all Juventus Turin sees a chance to win. "Messi might be one of the best in footballs history, but we have managed to stop Ronaldo, Benzema and Bale. When you can do that you can deal with Barca," Juventus-defender Stephan Lichtensteiner said. Endi