By Ayeotan Shola
The 2015 Champions League final is drawing nearer, and fans of Barcelona and Juventus have been descending on Berlin in their thousands as they prepare for the showdown between their two sides.
Germany’s capital is awash with a sea of stripes, both red and blue and black and white, as Catalans and Italians alike take over the city.
Here, Sportsmail brings you some of the best pictures of fans as we get closer to kick-off.
Two Barcelona fans arriving in Berlin before the Champions League final, one with a classic tin foil cup
A Juventus fan decked out in shirt, hat and sunglasses is all smiles ahead of the showpiece occasion
Barcelona fans are anticipating victory as they hold an imitation Champions League trophy up to the sky
A Juventus fan sneaks into the side of a shot of a group of Barcelona fans taking a picture in front of the Brandenburg Gate
The encounter will be both team’s eighth European Cup final. Coincidentally, with both sides already winning two trophies this season, whoever emerges victorious will complete the eighth major treble in history.
Barca did it in 2009 with ‘tiki taka’ under Pep Guardiola, and Luis Enrique can replicate his record by winning the treble in his first season as manager.
As for Juve, they have never done it, but Massimiliano Allegri is another coach in his debut season at his club, and is just 90 – or 120 – minutes from adding the Champions League to his Serie A and Coppa Italia wins this year.
Geographically, it is about 379 miles from Barcelona’s Nou Camp to Turin’s Juventus Stadium. On the pitch, the gulf may be even greater.
Juventus fans waves their scarves as they cheer for their side at a Fan Festival ahead of the clash
Barcelona supporters pose with a flag of their team in front of Berlin Wall remnants at the Potsdamer Platz
Supporters of Barcelona and Juventus stand together outside the Olympic stadium
Barcelona fans wave a giant flag of their club colours at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Saturday afternoon
The match will reportedly attract an estimated 165 million viewers in more than 200 countries.
The winner gets a cheque for £7.5million – loose change to European heavyweights these days – while the runners-up take £4.7m, but there is more riding on this than prize money.
Awaiting the winner is the historic domestic and European treble, and their name on an exclusive list that dates back to 1967, when Celtic won it first.
Since Celtic won the Scottish Football League, Scottish Cup and European Cup in 1967, just seven clubs have claimed three major honours in a single season.
Four of them have been in the last 16 years – Manchester United in 1999, Barcelona in 2009, Inter Milan in 2010, and Bayern Munich in 2013
A mock up of the Champions League trophy outside the stadium where the action will take place on Saturday night
Four young fans pose in their Barcelona kits, three clearly prefer Neymar while one is a fan of Lionel Messi
A Barcelona fan, megaphone in hand, leads the chanting in front of a full-voiced section of their supporters
Juventus fans have a game of table football on an aptly-coloured table at the Fan Festival prior to kick-off
Barcelona fans pose for a photo with a self-made Champions League trophy mock up in front of the Brandenburg Gate
Fans of both sides travelling on the Berlin underground on their way to the game
Two fans from Switzerland pose hopefully with a cardboard strip in search of a ticket for the final
Barcelona fans hold giant pictures of their attacking trio Luis Suarez (with fangs), Messi and Neymar
Juventus supporters sign a board in Berlin for fans attending the Champions League final in the city
A general view of the Olympiastadion under the blue sky of Berlin on Saturday afternoon
Ball jugglers entertain fans at the Brandenburg Gate ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final
There will be an incredible array of talent on show on Saturday night in an attacking sense, from Lionel Messi and Neymar of Barcelona, to Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal of Juventus.
But Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher believes that his former Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez is the man who could make the difference in Berlin.
He said: ‘This is the type of match Suarez was made for. He has the ability to leave a glorious mark on it and it would not surprise me if we woke to headlines on Sunday declaring him the match-winner.
‘If he plays as we know he can, that might just happen.’
Two fans pose for a picture as they enjoy the atmosphere in Berlin ahead of the final
Three fans have an old-fashioned kick-about at the Champions League Festival prior to the match
While defender Gerard Pique was in confident mood ahead of the showdown in Berlin on Saturday night.
‘We have an amazing team,’ he said. ‘We have one of the best teams in the history of our club. This game is something we have been working towards all season and we are not in the mood to fail now.
‘We will expect to have the ball and control possession and they will counter-attack,’ added Pique. ‘They have a lot of power up front and some good midfielders who are strong and go box to box.
‘They are an Italian team but they always want to play with the ball. They showed that against Madrid and will try and do the same to us.’
A swarm of Juvenuts fans wave banners and flags as they prepare for their side’s clash with Barcelona
A few Italian fans enjoy a beer in the Berlin sunshine on Saturday afternoon in preparation for kick-off
Juventus fans with blow-up cups, club shirts, fans and banners get themselves ready for the occasion
Barcelona fans celebrate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin ahead of the Champions League final
Fans of Juventus cool off in a fountain in front of the chancellery in Berlin
Supporters of both Barcelona and Juventus crowd at the stadium entrance at the Olympiastadion in Berlin
Supporters in their thousands queue to get into the stadium ahead of the clash between Barcelona and Juventus
A young Barcelona fan is one of the first to take his seat in the stadium as he waves his flag in preparation
