Champions League Final Preview: Juventus vs. Real Madrid
Published: June 1, 2017From the 32 clubs that had begun the Champions League, it has all boiled down to only two at the center stage. On the 3rd of June, these two will battle it out at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, to get the much-coveted trophy.
Will it be Juventus, or will the Real Madrid bag the winner's spot this year? Who will be the ultimate winner of the 2017 Champions League? We have some great insight!
Just as clubs in Europe battle for the winner's trophy in domestic campaigns, they also compete against each other in what is widely considered as the most elite competition in world soccer. This year, Juventus and Real Madrid have won both the group stages as well as three two-legged knockout ties to come face-to-face in the finals.
Betting for the Champions League
Those who bet on Champions League games regularly know very well that there is a vital difference between betting on a domestic league (such as the Premier League) and betting on a continental club competition like the Champions. Take for instance, the poor performance of Leicester City in the Premier League in comparison to its massive success in Champions League.
While Real Madrid and Juventus both remained unbeaten in the group stage, Real Madrid ended up second in their group having conceded 10 goals whereas Juventus conceded only two.
Both clubs had a rather straightforward Round of 16, and went up against two heavyweight (not to mention tournament-favorite) clubs in the quarter-finals (namely Bayern Munich and Barcelona). Yet, the two finalists managed to reach the semi-finals without much trouble.
Real Madrid and it's offensive style
Zinedine Zidane
Ever since Zinedine Zidane took the post of manager for Real Madrid in 2016, he has been making some revolutionary changes to the club. While seasoned players like Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo still continue to grab headlines, newer ones like Carvajal, Casemiro and Kroos have also steadily gained popularity.
Any ardent football fan would know that Real Madrid's main and best strategy is their attacking prowess. In fact, this no-holds-barred approach is perhaps the reason why they have managed to score the most in this years Champions League with 32 goals.
With Real Madrid having scored in 64 consecutive matches, it is only expected for Cristiano Ronaldo to be leading the goal scoring charts. Ronaldo has managed to scored 25 goals from his 29 appearances in La Liga, and has so far scored 10 goals in 12 appearances in Champions League. The man's all-time record in the tournament is now a whopping 103 goals!
Needless to say, it is the consistency of the Real Madrids that has helped the Spanish favorite making it to the Champions League final. Those betting on Real Madrid will need Ronaldo and his gang to up their stretch their goal-scoring game record to 65 consecutive games on the day of the finals.
Juventus defensive resilience
Massimiliano Allegri
If there is any club that can counter Real Madrid's offensive style, it is perhaps Juventus. With an impossible-to-beat defense strategy, they have proved to be yet another example of the high level of organisation and discipline Italians are known for.
With Massimiliano Allegri at the helm of the club since 2014, it is clear that his go-to tactic of building from the back worked, with the club having won seven major trophies during his tenure (namely, three Serie A titles and Coppa Italias each, as well as a Supercoppa Italiana). Additionally, Juventus ended up as runner-up up for the Champions League in 2014/15.
While the club has conceded only 27 goals in Serie A this season, it is proved the power of its defensive approach this season by conceding three goals - equaling the record set that Ajax set in 1995/96 for conceding the lowest number of goals while playing every game in the competition.
Does a club's previous success have any role to play in betting for the Champions League?
While Real Madrid has been on quite the winning streak, both domestically and internationally, they have as of late struggled quite a lot in La Liga. On the flip side, though, they have enjoyed success in Champions League of late, with Los Blancos proving themselves as the most successful club in the history of the tournament with 11 titles and two wins in the last three years. Meanwhile, Juventus, which last won the League way back in 1995/1996 hasn't gone much further than the quarter-finals, and only managed to reach (but not win) the final in 2002/03.
Which club should you bet on for the Champions League Final?
Much like any final game of a tournament as large and prestigious as this, Read Madrid vs. Juventus is indeed a tough one to call. After all, with two very different clubs with their very different styles of play competing against each other, it will be interesting to see whether it is Real Madrids' attacking strategy or Juvetus' defensive strategy that will end up being the winner.
Many have, however, decided to bet their money on Juventus. This is perhaps due to the fact that they have managed to show a resilience that even a club like Real Madrid will a tough time breaking, if they manage to do so at all this is. Even if the latter does succeed, they are unlikely to do so two or three times over.
Given the circumstances, perhaps the best bet one can make is 1.61 that is available under 2.5 goals at Everygame.
Please note: all odds accurate as of 01.07.2017, 12:00 GMT+3 and are subject to change. All tips on our site are based on the personal opinion of the author. No success is guaranteed. Please gamble responsibly. 18+.