Barcelona cruises in Champions League

Barcelona’s mighty attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar won the Champions League on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Juventus in Berlin.

Before a crowd of 70,000 people in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, Juventus striker Alvaro Morata canceled out Ivan Rakitic’s early opener, Messi set up the vital second for Suarez and Neymar secured Barcelona’s fifth European Cup deep into stoppage time with the last kickofthegame.

The Messi-Suarez-Neymar trio completed the season with a combined 122 goals and now European winners’ medals to join their league and cup ones.

After last season ended without a trophy, Luis Enrique’s first season in charge for Barcelona produced a triple champion.

“A magnificent, spectacular day,” Enrique said. “I congratulate my players, a unique group of players, their talent and commitment has been beyond doubt.”

With a first Champions League triumph since 2011, Barcelona has won European soccer’s top trophy four times in the last decade.

Andres Iniesta has featured in each final and the midfielder is also celebrating his second treble. Iniesta played a deep defensive midfield role in Berlin as the strikers caused havoc in the Juventus defense.

“We won’t see this happen again very often,” Iniesta said. “Six years later, we did (the treble) again. All my words fall short. Let the people enjoy this Barca.”

Suarez, a striker from Uruguay, began the season in shame, signed from Liverpool for $110 million despite being given a four-month ban by FIFA for biting an opponent at the World Cup. He powered in Barcelona’s second goal in the 68th minute after Messi’s shot was palmed away by goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

“When you come to a team like Barca, you know that you have come to win,” Suarez said. “This is a dream.”

Just like Suarez, Neymar has collected the top prize in club soccer for the first time after two years at Barcelona.

Neymar had a goal disallowed for handball but, with the final going into a seventh minute of stoppage time, the Brazil striker found space to score again.

For Juventus there was no third European title, just the unwelcome record of being the first team to lose six finals.