Gerard Pique says Barcelona will have achieved a perfect season if they beat Juventus in Saturday's Champions League final, and thus match the feats of Pep Guardiola's 2009 treble-winning side.
Barca’s current coach Luis Enrique can finish his first season at the Camp Nou by emulating Guardiola’s feat of steering the Catalan club to the treble of Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey on his debut year in 2009.
With the Spanish league and cup already in the bag, Barcelona can write history by seeing off Italian champions Juventus at Berlin’s Olympiastadion to become the first team to complete the treble twice.
“It’s going to be a great season whatever happens, if we win this Champions League final, we’ll be writing history. It’ll be the perfect season, like in 2009,” said the Spain international.
“To have two titles and to reach the Champions League (final) is something we would have enjoyed anyway, but we have this one last chance to win and we’re 90 minutes from perfection.”
The 28-year-old Pique was part of Guardiola’s squad which won 14 trophies from 2008-12 and he wants the current star-studded Barcelona to prove they are just as good as the 2009 model.
“The main thing here is we are again in the Champions League final,” said Pique.
“I hate comparisons. I hate it when we weren’t winning last year or two years ago and we were being compared to Pep’s team.
“I don’t want to be compared now. It’s a different team, but there will be people who think we play better or who prefer how we played a few years ago.
“The main thing is that it’s working, we need to focus on this game, if we play like we have all season, we have a good chance to win.”
Brazilian forward Neymar, who only joined Barcelona two years ago and has yet to win the Champions League, said it would be a dream come true to claim Europe’s most prestigious prize.
“For me to be able to play this final is a dream, ever since I was six or seven years old I have been dreaming of this opportunity to win a Champions League final,” said Neymar.
“Now the time has come and that is why I am going to do what I have to do tomorrow, so I can enjoy the moment alongside my teammates.
“I have played in lots of finals in my life, but this is the most important one for me.
“I hope I can kiss the trophy at the end of it all and thank god for everything.”
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE