Champions League final: Real Madrid face Juventus in epic clash

Cristiano Ronald and Gonzalo Higuain Pic AFPCardiff Spanish football giants Real Madrid will hope to become the first team in history to win the Champions League in successive seasons while Juventus will expect their watertight defence to stand tall against their vaunted rivals when the two sides meet in the final here at the Millennium Stadium here on SaturdayThe feted sides who have won their respective domestic leagues the Spanish La Liga Real Madrid and Italian Serie A Juventus have been in rampaging form going into the final and on Saturday it will be a battle between Reals attack and Juves defenceAs far as Reals record is concerned Arrigo Sacchis AC Milan side were the last to be crowned European champions for a second year running in 1990 but since the competition morphed into the Champions League that feat has proved beyond even the most expensively assembled teamsIt will also be homecoming for Reals Welsh winger Gareth Bale who if deemed fit to play will strut his stuff in front of his own peopleCentre stage as he so often is will be Cristiano Ronaldo whose lust for goals has taken Real to within touching distance of a 12th European title after they took their 11th a year ago by beating Atletico MadridCrowned La Liga champions for the first time since 2012 last week Real are the favourites after banging in 32 goals in 12 games in the competition this seasonRonaldo has scored 10 of them and two more in the final would see him move above Barcelonas Lionel Messi to top this seasons Champions League scoring chartToo much humility isnt good We have to prove our character and who is the best Ronaldo was quoted as saying as he eyed a third Champions League crown with Real He has previously won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008The final is won by scoring goals I have the feeling that we are going to play a great game and we are going to win Ronaldo saidComing to Juve the Serie A title winners have been unbeaten in Europe this season and are going to their second final in three years having conceded only three goalsWhile the Italian outfit have the likes of Paulo Dybala Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain in attack it is their backline that has caused a lot of trouble to top teams most recently FC Barcelona to whom they lost in the 2015 Champions League finalBarcelona defender Gerard Pique described their defence as a mountain after their quarterfinal lossThis will perhaps be Juve legendary goalkeeper and skipper Gianluigi Buffons last shot at a Champions League medal to add to his glittering array of silverware after twice suffering heartache in the finalAt the age of 39 Buffon a 2006 World Cup winner with Italy for whom he still is the firstchoice keeper will want to end his clubs 21year wait for the elusive titleReal coach Zinedine Zidane once a Champions League runnerup with Juve contriving to break the hearts of those who once idolised him will have to take a call whether Bale or Isco would play but the latter looks to be ahead as Bale is yet to fully recover from the ankle ligament injury he incurred in NovemberOverall a mouthwatering contest awaits football fans as two inform teams who have been consistent throughout the season lock horns for the most wanted crown in European club football