Club World Cup: Fifth trophy of the year up for grabs for Barcelona

With four titles already in the bag, Catalans eye another against River Plate

Barcelona have been in remarkable form all through 2015. They have been able to secure four titles already — La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey and European Super Cup — and are eyeing their fifth trophy before the year ends when they take on Copa Libertadores champions River Plate at the Club World Cup final in Yokohama on Sunday.

Luis Enrique’s side secured their place in the final by defeating Chinese champions Guangzhou Evergrande 3-0 in the semi-final as Luis Suarez, who was the sole striker upfront for Barca in the absence of Lionel Messi and Neymar, netted a hat-trick and the Uruguayan intends to guide the Catalans to their third Club World Cup title.

“First objective [reaching the final] completed. Now we have to give everything to take the trophy home,” said the 28-year-old, according to Squawka.com. “The motivation in the final will be the same or even greater. We are excited about winning the Club World Cup again on a personal and collective level, and we know how to face up to it.”



Messi and Neymar are still doubtful for the final but Suarez hopes that he finds his usual accomplices by his side when they take on Marcelo Gallardo’s side.

“It will depend how they recover in the next few days, let’s hope that Messi and Neymar can be there for the final, they are key players for us,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gallardo was happy to accept the role of underdogs in the final against Barcelona, saying that while European champions had the best players, his team had a big heart.



“It would have to be a perfect game for us to have any chance [of winning],” said Gallardo, who himself played for Argentina at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups. “They [Barcelona] are a very complete team and it’s a big challenge for us. They have the best players and we have a big heart.”

Barcelona are bidding to become the first team to win the Club World Cup for the third time, having already won in 2009 and 2011, while River Plate — the fourth Argentinian side to reach the final — are eying their first ever triumph in the global competition. 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2015.

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