The Champions League Finals will be history in the making, as Juventus and Real Madrid meet on June 3, 2017. Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, will be the place to be, as one of these clubs will add more hardware to their showcase.
The first legs of the qualifying phase of the tournament began on June 28, 2016. A grand total of 78 clubs competed in this year’s Champions League tournament. Representatives from 53 of the 55 associations under UEFA jurisdiction participated in the most recognized club competition in the world. After 11 months of football around Europe, it is finally time to decide the winner.
Real Madrid will be looking to add to their historic resume in this year’s Champions League Finals. Not only is the club the defending champion of the tournament, but no one has more titles than the Spanish side. Should Real Madrid take the trophy back to Spain, they will have to make room because it’s their 12th UEFA club title. In all, Real has appeared in 14 UEFA European Cup/Champions League club finals. At 11 – 3, no one has won more finals, or appeared in more, than Real Madrid.
Juventus enters the Champions League finals as a slight underdog to take home the title. The Italian side has earned two European Cup/Champions League trophies in their history, while losing six finals. Most recently, Juventus lost the 2015 Champions League Finals to Barcelona, and their last title was back in 1996.
Both clubs will be in search of a multiple-trophy campaign in 2016/17. Real Madrid took home the La Liga Spanish title this past campaign, and will be in search of the double. Juventus has more at stake, as they will be playing for their third trophy of the 2016/17 campaign. With the Coppa Italia and Serie A title in hand, Juventus seeks to make their own history this time around. We like to call that The Treble, and you can see my own article about Juventus’ chances to pull it off. It is labeled as a Futures Betting article, and so far, so good!
Only eight clubs have achieved an historic European treble, and Juventus is trying to become the ninth. Meanwhile, Real Madrid are trying to become the first club to repeat as tournament champion, in the Champions League era.
So, which club wants it bad enough? There is no one on earth that will question the motivation to win a Champions League title. The Juventus players might feel more pressure, having so many players on their roster lacking this trophy to complete their careers. Yes, I said to complete their careers, because a handful of these Juventus players are getting up there in age. It has been made quite clear by all of the Juventus media and players that this year has to be the year.
We all know that opportunities come and go, and some players never come close to this stage in their careers. I think of someone like Gonzalo Higuain, in this case, a Juventus striker who had been playing with Napoli before this season, and is also part of the Argentinian National Team. Napoli played second fiddle to Juventus in each of his four seasons with club from Naples, Italy.
What’s the expression? If you can’t beat them, join them! Well that is exactly what Higuain has done, and now trophies are coming his way. Of course, Higuain spent more than a handful of years with Real Madrid before his time at Napoli. So now, he gets to face his old club, and try to help Juventus clinch a third piece of hardware this year.
However, no one can take away the Serie A scoring record Higuain set last year with Napoli. His 36 goals in the 2015/16 campaign blew the league away. His closest challenger was Paulo Dybala, who finished the campaign with 19 goals of his own.
With that said, it is time for some lines to the game, and I am offering some props for the match as well.
Let’s start with the match itself, and progress through the props as we go.
Champions League Finals Match
Juventus vs Real Madrid
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Juventus +190
Real Madrid +160
Draw +210
Handicap/Spread:
Juventus 0/Pk +110
Real Madrid 0/Pk -105
Game Total 2 & 2.5 Handicap:
Over -110
Under -110
Referee:
Felix Brych (GER)
THE HISTORY
This will be the second time these two clubs have met in the title match. In 1998, Juventus and Real Madrid met in Amsterdam for the right to hoist the hardware. Juventus were appearing in their third straight UEFA finals, but fell short as Real Madrid took a 1 – 0 win home to Spain.
That is not to say that there is plenty of history between the two sides in European competition. The first time the two played in club competition was in the 1962 campaign. What an epic battle it was, as a quarterfinals two-legged affair turned into even more. Back then, if the two clubs were tied after both meetings, a third match would be played. Both clubs took a 1 – 0 win on their home soil, and a third match was set at a neutral site in Paris, France. Real Madrid went on to advance to the semifinals with a 3 – 1 in the repeat match.
In all, Juventus and Real Madrid have met 18 times in UEFA club competitions. Their win/loss records are identical, showing 8 Wins, 2 Draws, and 8 Losses against each other. Juventus holds the goal-scoring differential at +3, with a 21 – 18 margin.
The real fun begins when we start discussing the other side of history for these two clubs. Like when Juventus plays against Spanish sides, and when Real Madrid plays clubs from Italy. Juventus has played 53 total matches against Spanish opposition in their exterior club competition history. The club holds a 19 Win, 14 Draw and 20 Loss record against clubs from La Liga. Juventus would much rather be at home, as you might expect. In Turin, Juve has amassed a 14 – 8 – 2 record against Spanish foes.
Real Madrid has played 69 matches against Italian clubs from Serie A. A little more respectable, Real reveals a record of 33 Wins, 11 Draws, and 25 Losses.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Real Madrid started their Champions League campaign in group stage, in Group F. After a second place finish in the group behind Borussia Dortmund, Madrid went on to face Napoli in the knockout round. Ar esulting 6 – 2 aggregate sent Napoli back to Italy, Real Madrid went on to face Bayern Munich.
After a 6 – 2 destruction of Bayern, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid met once again in Champions League action. After a 3 – 0 first leg win for Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid beat Real 2 – 1 in the second leg. A 4 – 2 aggregate expunged Atleti from the dance, and now here there are!
Juventus has allowed a whopping THREE GOALS in their entire Champions League campaign, thus far. The Italian side started the tournament in group H, and advanced after winning the group outright.
Porto was next up for Juventus in the knockout stage. A 3 – 0 aggregate win over the Portuguese side led to an encounter with mighty Barcelona. In stunning fashion, Juventus dismantled Barcelona by another 3 -0 aggregate score. You are reading that right… Juventus held Barcelona scoreless both in Italy, and in Spain to advance to the semifinals. Monaco tried their luck against Juventus in the semi’s, and they too were down 3 – 0 before finding 1 goal. Juventus has outscored all of their Champions league foes by a combined 21 – 3 entering the finals.
PLAYS AND PROP BETS
As posted in my futures article, I already have Juventus pending at +325 to win Champions League. I put that in well before the title match arrived.
I am also adding a few plays and props to the board, so feel free to utilize them.
Suggested Plays:
Juventus 0/PK DNB AH @ +110
Gonzalo Higuian To Score At Any Time @ +140
Both Teams to Score @ -105
___________________________________
Suffice it to say, that I am pulling for the Italian club to come out of this match with the title. I must say, I will not be all that surprised if we arrive to a 1 – 1 score and an extra time situation.
I was going to post a possible lineup from both sides, but we all know the characters involved.
Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema have a decent cast surrounding them up front for Real Madrid, and Juventus has the defense and the goalkeeper any club wishes they had. GiGi Buffon and his back line have spent years together in a Juventus uniform. The addition of a pressing Dani Alves from that back line also adds a dimension to the Juve attack.
Overall though, a 2 – 1 win for Juventus is my aspiration for this match. I said I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 1 – 1 score after 90 minutes, but it doesn’t mean I want to see it!
I leave you with this, and it comes from my Italian favouritism. Forza Juve! Take that TREBLE, and make me look good, while you put THREE trophies in the showcase this campaign!
Enjoy, and we will see you again here at Get More Sports for the 2017/18 Champions League campaign.
