Juventus vs Barcelona: Which Team Is More Expensive?
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June 6, 2015 – that’s the date for the traditional climax to the European football season. Now that most of the domestic leagues have concluded, all that remains to be settled is who will win European club football’s biggest prize on June 6. Juventus meet Barcelona at the Olympiastadion in Berlin for the UEFA Champions League final, and fans around the world are already counting down the hours.
Both teams come into the match in tremendous form having just won their domestic leagues and in Juventus’ case, being on the verge of a treble of trophies (domestic league, domestic cup and European cup). Barcelona are also close to claiming the treble themselves: the Blaugrana will play Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Spanish Cup, a match played at their home ground, the Nou Camp.
Although evenly matched in terms of form and in terms of history and trophies, we decided to take a look at how closely matched these two sides are where it matters: on the pitch.
Juventus FC – RM1.5 Billion
Squad size: 27
Two down, one to go. After winning the Italian Champion and the Coppa Italia, Juventus’ thirst for the Champions League victory is palpable. The last time Juventus lifted the trophy was in 1996.
Having won the Italian league for the last four seasons, European success this year would establish this Juventus team as a genuine Continental power at a time when Italian football is in decline. It would also mark an incredible turnaround in fortunes since the Turin club was relegated to Serie B following the “Calciopoli” scandal in 2006.
Although their domestic dominance has gone unchallenged, Juventus (and Italian sides in general) have struggled to make a mark in Europe in recent seasons. As a result, their squad’s transfer value is below even what fellow semi-finalists Real Madrid are worth (a whopping RM3.5 billion). According to Transfermarkt.com, Juventus’s total market value comes up to RM1.5 billion. A reflection perhaps, on the fact that many of Juve’s players are still establishing themselves at continental level. Paul Pogba, the powerful midfielder, leads the squad in terms of market value, at close to RM250 million. The top five most expensive players in the team are as follow:
The squad is valued the most at midfield at about RM836 million with the average age of 27.7 years old, while the defence positions are valued at RM390 million, strikers at RM322 million, and lastly, goalkeepers are valued at RM12.8 million.
The underdog of the Champions League, Juventus’s captain, Gianluigi Buffon told Goal.com that the final opponents, Barcelona look “almost unbeatable”, but former Juventus and World Cup winning Italian coach Marcello Lippi warned Barcelona, on 90min, that they shouldn’t underestimate their opponent in the final. So while Massimiliano Allegri and his players ready themselves for Barcelona, the rest of us should take a step back and wait to see how the team that is worth over RM1.5 billion perform for their final (possible) victory.
FC Barcelona – RM2.9 Billion
Squad size: 26
With a smaller squad size, Barcelona almost doubles Juve’s value with RM2.9 billion total market value. But does being more expensive give them an edge over Juventus in the final match on June 6?
Barça have won six league titles and three Champions League titles in the last decade, more than Juventus, and other European rivals such as Real Madrid, Inter, Porto, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG and Lyon.
Led by Lionel Messi, who alone is estimated to be worth RM593 million, it is no surprise the squad comes out more expensive than Juventus, with the likes of Neymar, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta further swelling the transfer value of the squad. As the team enters a crucial phase of the season, Messi has been rallying his team and demanding even more from an already trophy-laden Barcelona.
Here are the top five most expensive footballers at FC Barcelona:
As the second most expensive club in the world, after Real Madrid, the expectation on the club is high.
What makes Barça so frightening is that they are not just a one-man team. With Luis Suarez and Neymar in tow, they boast one of the greatest attacking triumvirates in the game’s history. The trio have already combined for a whopping 114 goals this season. Add to this the fact that they boast home-grown legends such as Xavi, Iniesta, Pique and Busquets who have won a combined total of 82 club titles and you can see how Barcelona’s transfer value is more significant than their opponents.
Juventus, a club that just a few years ago found itself in Italian football’s second division due to a match-fixing scandal, will meet Spanish powerhouse Barcelona, a club considered to have the most lethal attacking trio in all of football next week. With such a strong team, can Juve stop Barça?
Both clubs are in position to win the treble, a rare feat achieved by only seven clubs in European history. The treble is achieved when a team wins their domestic league, their domestic cup, and finally, the continental cup. Both clubs are in first place in their respective leagues, and both are in the finals of their domestic cups, the Copa del Rey for Barcelona, and Coppa Italia for Juventus.
However, only one team can win the treble; when they win the Champions League. And after their masterful display in the semi-final stage of the Champions League, the final between Barcelona and Juventus will be one nail-biting match. We can’t wait!
