Blow for Juventus as Giorgio Chiellini to miss showdown with Luis Suarez

Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has been ruled out of tomorrow’s Champions League final against Barcelona with a calf injury.

Fri, 05 Jun, 2015 - 01:00

James Whelan, Berlin

The Italy international got hurt in Wednesday’s training session and underwent tests yesterday which confirmed he will miss the Berlin showpiece.

The veteran centre-back was set for a dramatic showdown with Luis Suarez after the biting incident at last summer’s World Cup, but instead he leaves a big hole to fill in Juve’s defence.

Angelo Ogbonna seems the likely candidate to replace Chiellini, despite Andrea Barzagli returning to training on Wednesday after recovering from a thigh injury.

Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri, in his first season at the helm, has led the club to a Coppa Italy final triumph over Lazio and the scudetto.

But the club has not won Europe’s premier competition since 1996.

“We’ve had a truly extraordinary season and it’s not every day that you reach the Champions League final,” Allegri said.

“To have done so in a year when we have won the scudetto and the Coppa Italia, our 10th, is important. It has been a while since an Italian team reached the Champions League final (Inter Milan in 2010). There is a lot of enthusiasm and all Italians await this final just as we do.

“It will be a campaign that will remain in the history as it’s unlikely that a team arrives to three finals of major tournaments. Now we just have one more game and we need to be clever and bring home the trophy. We also need to be fortunate.”

Juve, who knocked off defending champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals, face a star-studded Barcelona led by Lionel Messi.

“To man-mark Messi is almost impossible, we just need to do a good job and work around him. But besides limiting Messi, Barca have Neymar and Luis Suarez. They have so many technical players that we will need to play a game with a lot of courage, knowing that we will have difficult times during the match and moments where we will have opportunities.”

Meanwhile Juve have confirmed the signing of Palermo striker Paulo Dybala in a €32m deal that could rise to €40m. The 21-year-old Argentine has signed a five-year contract.

Elsewhere Juve’s final opponents Barcelona have agreed a three-year contract extension with winger Pedro. The deal ties him to Barca until 2019 and his buyout clause of €150m remains.