Champions League final win was easy - Rakitic

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic insisted the Champions League final win over Juventus was "easy".

The former Sevilla star handed Barca a fourth-minute lead but Alvaro Morata's equaliser 10 minutes into the second half prompted a shift in momentum with Juventus looking the more likely side to go on and win it.

But, as so often this season, a moment of brilliance from Lionel Messi handed Barca an escape route. His shot after a jinking run was spilled by Gianluigi Buffon and Luis Suarez tapped in to restore their lead. Then, the Uruguayan set up Neymar to make it 3-1 with the final kick of the game.

Rakitic told Sky: "We have worked so hard all year. We were the better team but congratulations to Juventus."

Asked whether he thought the Bianconeri were getting on top following the equaliser, he added: "It's normal, it's a final, Juve were also playing in this game. But for the whole game we were the better team and we were in control. It was just a question of when we would score again. It was easy, it was clever, it was a good game."

The win completed a domestic and continental treble for Barca and the end of a hugely successful first year at Camp Nou for Rakitic, who took time to praise the club's former sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta.

"Thanks to Zubi and the club for bringing me here," he said.