Newly-crowned Spanish champions Real Madrid will seek to lift their second successive Champions League title when they take on Juventus in the final at Cardiff on Saturday.
Los Blancos ended their long wait for the La Liga crown last week after they managed to hold onto their three point lead over fierce rivals Barcelona. On the other hand, Juventus have had an easy ride in the Serie A as usual as they secured their sixth Scudetto on the trot.
The Champions League has not been won by the same team in two consecutive seasons since the group stage format was introduced in 1992, and Real Madrid will be looking to break this feat by lifting a record 12th European title.
The Old Lady undoubtedly possess the best defensive record with just three goals conceded in the European campaign, but this is equally matched by Los Blancos’ scoring feat of 32 goals.
Players to watch for:
Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus):
The former Napoli man would be keen on celebrating a historic treble with the Turin-based club. Juventus fell short in the final two years ago as they were beaten by Barcelona by a 3-1 scoreline.
However, they managed to produce a convincing result against the same opposition this term due to the influence of Higuain’s compatriot Paulo Dybala.
The Old Lady do have plenty of players to stand out on the day, but Higuain will be eager to get one over his former club and prove that he is still among the best-rated marksman in the world.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid):
The Euro 2016 winner had struggled for goals during the early stages of the Champions League before he put five past Bayern Munich in the 6-3 aggregate quater-final defeat. He bagged another treble in the semi-final victory over cross-city rivals Atletico, which assured Los Blancos’ passage to yet another final.
Ronaldo does not possess the pace which he once used to his great advantage, but his positioning sense alongside the ability to swirl past defenders is something only a few possess in the modern game.
Prediction:
Juventus are likely to put in a real shift as they did with Barcelona.
Juventus 2-1 Real Madrid
Higuain to net the winner.
Image – Getty
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