4 Reasons To Look Forward To The UEFA Champions League Final
REUTERS/Tony Gentile
The Champions League has had yet another season to remember, and the elite competition is ready to reach an exciting end as the final chapter takes place later next month. It is the battle of the top teams from Italy and Spain, as Juventus get ready to face Real Madrid in Cardiff later this month.
The two teams have probably been the best so far this season, each leading their domestic leagues, and if the footballing neutrals were given an option to pick two sides to feature in the final, not many would choose any other.
Here are 4 things to look forward to in this year’s Champions League Final:
1. History to be created?
In the history of Europe’s highest club level competition, no team has ever managed to defend their UEFA Champions League crown and win it two years running.
But that stat could change after this final, as Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid, the current defending champions, are just one step away from creating history and winning the title for an unbelievable twelfth time.
2. Attack vs Defence
Real Madrid vs Juventus is literally the definition of an unstoppable force clashing against an immovable object.
Reuters / Javier Barbancho
Los Blancos continue to look clinical each time they attack, with Cristiano Ronaldo banging in heaps of goals for fun. On the other hand, Massimiliano Allegri’s side is known to be rock solid in defence, and given how good Buffon and his clean sheet tally has been so far, it makes for the match to be the footballing event of the year so far.
3. Gianluigi Buffon
REUTERS/Darren Staples
The legendary Italian and Juventus goalkeeper is set to appear in his third final of the competition so far, and after facing devastating losses in the previous two, he will be hoping to put in the performance of a lifetime to finally be able to lift the elusive trophy.
Not often is the case when Cristiano Ronaldo will be a part of a match and might not be the most talked about player, as almost everybody barring Real Madrid fans will be rooting for the veteran goalkeeper to come out triumphant at the end of this legendary encounter on the pitch.
4. Zidane vs his former club
Zinedine Zidane is probably one of the greatest players to have ever graced the sport, and as a manager, he now takes his current Real Madrid team to face off against a club he played for in his prime days, Juventus.
The Frenchman is a fan favourite in that part of Italy, and after being a part of a strong Juventus line up in his prime, and having huge love and respect for their badge, it will be interesting to see how he rises up to the occasion.
It is a final worth waiting another month for, and as Real’s BBC – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano – prepare to take on Juve’s BBC – Bonucci, Barzagli and Chiellini, the footballing world should brace itself for the clash of the Titans on the 4th of June, 2017.
Reuters / Juan Medina
This is Real Madrid’s third final in four years, and after winning the previous two, they will be looking to make it a perfect score. The Champions League was once called Real Madrid’s title to lose, and if they win it this time around, it will surely result in them getting a bit of that reputation back.
Zidane is only in his second year in management at the club, and could historically guide the team to two European titles in that time – a trophy he himself won as a player with Madrid in his days gone by.
Juventus faced bitter defeat in the final of the competition two years ago, as they lost to Barcelona, and it might be time to avenge that loss, but this time against the other giants of La Liga.
Both teams are aiming for a glorious double this season, and it fair to say, losing is not an option either will easily take.
Written by Vikram Gupta 
An attacker with his words, and defends each of them with pride. A love for the game which goes hand in hand with his will to forever write. A graduate in the course of advertising and a hopeful to be author. Herrera for the win.