A date with destiny in Cardiff

Real Madrid play their third Champions League final in four years this Saturday as they go in search of their 12th trophy in the competition to complete a historic double and become the first ever team to defend their title in the Champions League era. The final against Juventus is a tough one to call, promising to be a close-fought encounter between perhaps the two most in-form teams on the continent. 

This will be Juventus's ninth final, having won two and lost six – more than any other team and their fate in their last four appearances. For Madrid, meanwhile, this will be final number 15. Los Blancos have won eleven so far, more than any other side, and have come out on top in the last five finals which they have played in. However, they have not won LaLiga Santander and the European cup in the same year since 1953, a feat finally within their reach once again. 

The clash in Cardiff pits the best attack in the competition against the best defence. Madrid head into the showdown having netted a stunning 32 goals in 12 games, whilst Juventus have only conceded a miserly three in their 12 matches and are the only team undefeated in this year's edition of the tournament – a sensational record heavily based on their solid back line in front of Gianluigi Buffon, who will be determined to round off a spectacular career with what would be his first ever Champions League winner's medal.

 

There is nothing between the two teams as far as past results are concerned. Of the 18 encounters played to date, both sides have won eight and drawn two. Perhaps the most memorable clash between Juventus and Madrid was the 1997/98 Champions League final which Los Blancos won 1-0 thanks to a Predrag Mijatovic strike. However, the Italians have knocked out Real Madrid in the last three ties between the two teams in the competition, in the 2002/03, 2004/05 and 2014/15 seasons. 

Zinedine Zidane has prepared for the final game of the season with only Fabio Coentrao absent, and has Pepe, Dani Carvajal and Gareth Bale back from injury. The Frenchman's starting XI for the match is unlikely to contain any surprises, with the only real doubt being whether he starts with Isco or the Welshman Gareth Bale. 

"We've worked really hard to get here, as well as winning LaLiga. We're on great form and the most important thing is that we're prepared for this match. Madrid know what it's like to deal with the pressure. It's one game and anything can happen. There are no favourites, but there's no doubt that we're going to do everything possible to win this Champions League," said Zidane in his pre-match press conference ahead of a final in which he could win the crown as a manager for a second time. 

Juventus, meanwhile, are at full strength for the game, backed especially by a rock solid defence in the form of Dani Alves, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini and Alex Sandro, but also armed with a fearsome frontline composed of Paulo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain and Mario Mandzukic. 

It will surely be one of the most spectacular matches of modern times and one in which Real Madrid hope to extend Spain's dominance in the competition on the back of three consecutive titles for Spanish sides, namely Real Madrid's victories in 2014 and 2016 either side of FC Barcelona's in 2015. LaLiga Santander teams have won a total of 16 European crowns, compared to 12 apiece for Premier League and Serie A sides