Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic wary of Juventus threat

Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has urged his teammates to be wary of the threat posed by Juventus ahead of this weekend's Champions League final.

The Croatian said that matching the Italian giants' intensity is the key to overcoming them as he stressed the importance of preparing for the game appropriately.

"We know the quality that Juventus have and we know we have to match their intensity," the club's official website quotes the 27-year-old as saying.

"We are coming into the game in the best of form. It could be a very special day, but we have to prepare the match like any other."

Rakitic will appear in a Champions League final for the first time if he features in Saturday's game.