Champions League Final LIVE UPDATES: Juventus -v- Real Madrid

Macdara Ferris reporting from Cardiff 

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JUVENTUS

For La Vecchia Signora it is a real match. The Old Lady and her old men are looking for their first European Cup success in 21 years, their third in total, as they take on the mighty Real Madrid in Cardiff. It is not quite end of days with the four men of the apocalypse but the defensive quartet of ‘keeper Gianluigi Buffon with Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci have 137 years between them. Seven of the team that beat Monaco in the semi-final were over 30 years of age.

However, Juventus’ strength isn’t just that defensive experience and stability. As they have proven in this season’s competition they have great offensive pedigree. They beat Barcelona 3-0 in the quarter-final first leg and have won all their knock out rounds by three clear goals.

When Juve reached the 2015 Champions League Final, they came into the match as reigning Italian Champions but as underdogs to an outstanding Barcelona team. Two years on from their 3-1 defeat in Berlin, Massimiliano Allegri's team are a different proposition. Even withplayers such as Paul Pogba, Carlos Tevez, Andrea Pirlo gone, they are actually a stronger team and come to Cardiff having won their sixth straight Scudetto.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference Juventus coach talked about how the situation is different from two years ago. "In 2015 we got to the final and deserved to but at the same time perhaps we were not strongly motived,” said Allegri. “Maybe we didn't feel confident enough after struggling for a few years in the Champions League.

“This year is different. Last year we had a good season in the Champions League and lost to Bayern in the last minute. We've been growing gradually. Now it's completely different."

Juve have added firepower with Gonzalo Higuian and Paulo Dybala – 51 goals between them in all competitions this season. Higuaín will lead the line coming up against the team he played with for six seasons, winning three La Liga titles and scoring 121 goals in all competitions.

Allegri also spoke about Dybala’s development this season. "Dybala has grown a lot,” said the 49 year old coach about the Argentinian who has scored four goals in Europe this year. “He has matured. Last year he was a bit inexperienced and had a few problems, but this year he's had no problems at all and I'm sure he'll be very impressive tomorrow.”

While the aging defence still has the same tried and trusted personnel, Allegri has regularly deployed his team in either a 4-2-3-1 formation and also with a back-three in matches (or indeed part of games). In half of their Champions League group games, they went with three at the back, and used the same system on four occasions in their six knock out games.

That flexibility allowed them to keep nine clean sheets across all twelve of their European games. Remarkably Juventus have only conceded only three games in the European Cup but they face stiff opposition in Cardiff on Saturday evening against the free scoring Real Madrid.

REAL MADRID

The season began for Real Madrid back in early August with their UEFA Super Cup win over Sevilla in Trondheim and 65 games later it will end in Cardiff in the Champions League Final against Juventus. Having won in last year’s final in Milan, the Spanish side are hoping to become the first team to win consecutive European Cups since the formation of the Champions League in 1992.

Real’s final match of this campaign will see them seeking their 12th European Cup, a third Champions League title in four seasons as they look to become Spanish and European champions in the same season for the first time in 59 years – they’ve lifted the European Cup trophy eight times since then without winning La Liga in the same season.

They went 40 games unbeaten mid-season, losing only three league games all campaign and come with confidence to Cardiff (where the roof will be closed for the game). For all Real’s success in Europe in recent years, domestically they haven’t really dominated. Since Ronaldo pulled on the white shirt of Real Madrid for the first time back in 2009, up until the last fortnight he had won just one Spanish title.

Having won the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA World Club Cup and La Liga this year, they want to add one more trophy to their collection. Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of training on the pitch, Sergio Ramos made it clear they are very focused on the fight ahead.

“This is a very, very important game,” said the Real Madrid captain. “It's another opportunity for us to go out there and show who we are, a great team. Every time we've had the chance to fight for a trophy, we've done that. We're going to be extremely focused, very concentrated so we make as few mistakes as possible.”

It was a relaxed Real Madrid manager who spoke to the press in Cardiff and he certainly didn’t appear to be a man under pressure.  “We know all about pressure at Real Madrid. We are always favourites but in reality in a final there are no favourites. We're not favourites, nor are Juventus. It's 50-50.”

While Zidane this season hasn’t utilised Ronaldo as much as in recent years, he has deployed him more effectively. The Portuguese star was protected by playing in 11 games less than in the previous season, scoring a quarter century of league goals and ten goals in twelve Champions League games.

Isco, Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema have all shown great form this season. Benzema has five goals and two assists in this Champions League campaign. Toni Kroos has shone in midfield playing in a more advanced role. Isco will likely start again as Gareth Bale’s ankle injury means the Welshman will miss out on starting the final in his own National Stadium.

Having scored in all of their competitive games this season – and hitting 32 goals in this competition alone - the battle is set for Madrid - the competition’s top scorers - to take on the miserly Juve defence who have let in the fewest number of goals.

Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).

MATCH STATS

Juventus are unbeaten in the competition this season, and have only let three goals in (including just one from open play). They are seeking to become the first team to lift the trophy unbeaten since Manchester United FC in 2008.

The sides have met in Europe on 18 occasions, all in the European Cup. There is nothing between the sides as both have eight victories along with two draws. They met in the

the 1998 final in Amsterdam. Zinedine Zidane was part of the Juve side that lost 1-0 in that final to Madrid that year. La Signora won their last meeting in Europe, winning the 2015 semi-final 3-2 on aggregate.

If Real Madrid win Zinedine Zidane will become the first manager to lift back-to-back Champions League trophies with Sergio Ramos becoming the first captain to receive the trophy in consecutive seasons.

BETTING

Juventus 19/10; Draw 21/10; Real 13/8.

PREDICTION

2-1 to Real Madrid

Juventus

Injured: Marko Pjaca.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Real Madrid

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Gareth Bale.

Suspended: None.

See also: Buffon's battle for Champions League glory

Macdara Ferris is in Cardiff for Extratime.ie this weekend and will be in the press box for the big game as well as the post match press conference afterwards. We'll bring you all the content right here on Extratime.ie.

I'm in Cardiff this weekend to cover this weekend's Champions League Final for @ExtratimeNews . Roof currently open... pic.twitter.com/LPmWprft4N

— Macdara Ferris (@macdarabueller) June 2, 2017