Barcelona's Xavi believes the Champions League final against Juventus will be 'closer than it looks'.
The Blaugrana are generally viewed as favourites in tomorrow's highly-anticipated game, but the 35-year-old feels they shouldn't take their opponents lightly.
“It's a dangerous final,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Everybody thinks that Barca is going to win but Juventus have an exceptional squad.
Barcelona's Xavi believes the Champions League final against Juventus will be 'closer than it looks'.
The Blaugrana are generally viewed as favourites in tomorrow's highly-anticipated game, but the 35-year-old feels they shouldn't take their opponents lightly.
“It's a dangerous final,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Everybody thinks that Barca is going to win but Juventus have an exceptional squad.
“I have a theory that when a team wins two, three, four titles in a row, there's nothing accidental about it.
“I know some people think that Juventus win the Scudetto with ease and therefore with no great merit, but that's what it looks like because they do things the right way.
“They're strong, they defend well, they have a great keeper, they control the rhythm of the game, they can play with and without the ball, they have experience and talent.
“And they have players like [Gianluigi] Buffon, [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Andrea] Barzagli, [Claudio] Marchisio, [Andrea] Pirlo, [Arturo] Vidal, who've been playing and winning together for many years.
“I see them as a great family. I don't know them, but I'm sure that's what it's like.
“They're a winning team, and when you're like that, you really hate to lose.”
The Spanish playmaker then went on to discuss the merits of his own team.
“The presence of [Lionel] Messi, Neymar and [Luis] Suarez affects us. We used to take 30-40 passes to dominate, now we no longer need so many touches.
“They generate numerical superiority simply by beating their opponent. We used to have no-one but Messi who could do that, and sometimes [Andrés] Iniesta.
“Otherwise it took a pass from myself or [Sergio] Busquets.
“Now we have Neymar and Suarez, and we're even more dangerous.
“It kills an opponent because they don't know whether to hold back or press forwards.
“If they press, we can play some direct football and stab them, as against Bayern [Munich on May 6, 3-0 for Barca].
“If they let us play, then they let us do something we've already been doing for 15 years.
“That said, this goes for Juve too. If you wait for them you're taking a risk, because they play some excellent football, they have Pirlo, Marchisio, Vidal, Pogba and some fast wingers.
“But if you press them, the speed of [Alvaro] Morata and [Carlos] Tevez can become decisive.
“I see a closer final than what people think.”
“Pirlo said he'll leave Juventus if he wins the Champions League? Let's hope he loses then, for the good of football!”