Juventus' Giorgio Chiellini and Patrice Evra Set for Luis Suarez Reunion

While Germany’s World Cup win last summer will live long in the memory, there is little doubt that Luis Suarez also ensured his appearance in Brazil would never be forgotten. During Uruguay’s group-stage clash with Italy, the striker inexplicably bit Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder as the two men battled for the ball.

Suarez was banned from football for four months for the incident, eventually moving from Liverpool to Barcelona despite being unable to play immediately. He has settled well at Camp Nou, playing a vital role in an attacking trident that has proved to be among the most potent ever assembled.

Siu Wu/Associated Press

Alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar, the three Barca forwards have combined to net a staggering 120 goals in all competitions, with the Uruguayan weighing in with 24 himself despite being suspended for the early months of the campaign.

He has helped his new side reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2011, and fate has ensured his year will come full circle as a reunion with Chiellini awaits. Juventus have already enjoyed a remarkable run in the continent’s elite competition, seeing off both Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid on their way to Berlin.

Despite seeing Messi—who has netted a staggering 58 times in 2014-15—score that remarkable goal in last week’s Copa del Rey final, Chiellini believes that the side have the ability to slow down Barcelona’s highly lauded attack.

"It's a bit more difficult to score goals like that in Italy because we are a bit different defensively and offensively," Chiellini told reporters at a media open day on Monday (h/t Fox Sports). "In Spain, they play better football but defend worse. But Messi is Messi. He scores when he wants. We have to be good in limiting him as much as possible."

The 30-year-old went on to add that the Argentinian star is "the best player over the past 20, 30 years" and is "certainly a class apart in this sport." There was of course the inevitable question about shaking hands with Suarez, and the 30-year-old said that he holds no grudges against the controversial striker:

"

Of course I will. I'll hug him happily, too, there's no problem at all. Those who know me even a bit know that that's how I truly feel.

I have no problem with him and I think it's the same for him. I have to think about him as a player, how he moves, his great skill but nothing more.

"

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The same may not be true of Patrice Evra, however. During a clash between Manchester United and Liverpool back in 2011, the forward was found guilty of having racially abused Evra and was banned for eight matches. In the next game between the two clubs after the incident, Suarez refused to shake Evra's hand. The pair shook hands ahead of a later contest, though.

However, even this season, the player has refused to apologise or even admit wrongdoing, telling Barcelona’s official website that there was no truth to the incident:

"

When I say I’m sorry it’s because I regret something. Being sorry implies regret. But they have also sometimes judged me on things that aren’t true, such as the racism thing. I was accused without evidence and that’s what grieved me the most.

The others were actions when it was me who did wrong. I accepted that and begged forgiveness, but the racism thing, when I was accused without evidence, that did upset me.

"

The three players being thrust together again on Saturday makes for an interesting subplot and will certainly require close attention. Luis Suarez has always been a talented footballer, but his history with both Chiellini and Evra shows another side to his character, one that will hopefully remain unseen in Berlin.