Finally, it is here. The Champions League final.

This season it's coming from Cardiff's Prinicipality Stadium, where Real Madrid will take on Juventus aiming to retain the title they won for the 10th time last year against Atletico Madrid.

Juve, though, eliminated Barcelona and much-fancied Monaco en route to the showpiece, and have conceded only three goal in the Champions League this season.

For Liverpool, this is the occasion to which they will aspire next season when they return to the Champions League, while Everton will be hoping for similarly memorable nights when they enter the Europa League.

Whatever happens, the game is likely to be a cracker!</s>No club had ever won the UEFA Champions League in consecutive seasons since it had been rebranded and revamped from the European Cup in 1992. Indeed, nobody had done it in either incarnation of the competition since AC Milan won it in 1989 and 1990. And no other club had been European champions a dozen times before.

Real Madrid pulled off both on Saturday, beating Juventus 4-1 in a scintillating final in Cardiff, Wales.

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Cristiano Ronaldo scored a pair of goals for Real – his 11th and 12th of the competition, 104th and 105th in Europe all time to extend his own record and the 599th and 600th of his club and international careers. Those goals, a deflected Casemiro shot and a late Marco Asensio tally overwhelmed Mario Mandzukic’s wonder goal for Juventus. And that made it three Real Champions League titles in four years and a dozen overall. No other club has more than seven (AC Milan).

Juventus already held the record for most lost Champions League finals with six. This seventh defeat was also its fifth in a row – 1997, ’98, ’03, ’15, ’17 – and its second in three years. Juve’s iconic 39-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has now lost three finals with the club in his storied career.

Going into the game, even casual fans understood that there was every chance that this final would be regressive, cagey and, well, boring. That’s how big finals very often go. That’s how Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United secured the Europa League trophy a week earlier. With a cynical game plan that ruthlessly capitalized on the attacking intent of the opposition. “Poets don’t win many titles,” the Portuguese serial title-winner declared after the game, in his signature blend of brazenness and quotability.

Real are champions of Europe for a record 12th time. (Getty Images)

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But neither Real manager Zinedine Zidane, one of the finest playmakers in the game’s history, nor his Juve counterpart Max Allegri, who is utterly un-Italian in his aesthetic soccer sensibilities, heeded that received wisdom. If this Juventus is famous for its impregnable defense, it also boasts an attacking machinery rivaled by few clubs in the world. Real Madrid, of course, excels on both fronts.

Juventus made a surprisingly aggressive start, highlighted by a Gonzalo Higuain dribble through the middle. His lashed shot at Keylor Navas’s goal was scrambled up on the second attempt by the Costa Rican goalkeeper.

appears Higuain is in the mood.. pic.twitter.com/HKMAHjd3cF — amadí ???? (@amadoit__) June 3, 2017





Navas prevented an early Juventus goal a second time in the sixth minute, when an extended Juve attack pinned Real back and eventually presented Miralem Pjanic with a half-volley. Navas got to it in spite of the speed and spin on the ball.

There was a temerity and a joy to Juve’s play that we’ve not historically expected from Italian teams, especially not in big finals. Paulo Dybala backheel-nutmegging an opponent in his own half, for instance, suggested that for its defensive stoutness Allegri’s Juventus side has evolved into something un-Italian. Something post-Italian, perhaps.





But Real wouldn’t be Real if it didn’t capitalize on its vast experience with high-stakes games like this and convert its one early chance. Ronaldo, defended ever so tightly until then, received the ball outside the box in the 20th minute, hit the overlapping Dani Carvajal on his right and got it back in the pocket between Juve’s lines he opened up by slowing his run.

He slotted his low shot into the far corner, past the sprawling Buffon.

WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo does the honors (again) in a #UCLfinal for Real Madrid (via @FoxSoccer) https://t.co/v0Kl69m1q1 — Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) June 3, 2017





Real Madrid takes a 1-0 lead in the #UCLfinal:

– 16 seconds

– 8 passes

– 7 players

– 1 Ronaldo goal pic.twitter.com/AcxHwDhcbC — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 3, 2017





That made Ronaldo the first player to score in three Champions League finals – after he’d scored five times in the quarterfinals against Bayern Munich and three times against Atletico Madrid in the semis, mind you. It was also only the second goal conceded by Juve in the knockout stage.

For the skill and team choreography in that Real goal, however, there was no competing with Juve’s equalizer seven minutes later, in the 27th. Few such goals were ever scored when a European title was on the line, or indeed any other time.

Alex Sandro volleyed in a cross from deep on the Pjanic long ball. Higuain chested it and kept it in the air for Mandzukic, who chested it as well, and then bicycle kicked it over Navas and into the net just under the upright before it ever touched the ground.

Have you EVER seen a better goal in a #UCLfinal? Take a bow, Juventus. ???????????? https://t.co/FURVvwOHMD — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 3, 2017





here's the buildup to that goal. the ball. never. touches. the. ground. pic.twitter.com/1YDZCALJkd — amadí ???? (@amadoit__) June 3, 2017





It was a goal of a beauty not seen in the European title game since Zidane himself volleyed Real to the Champions League trophy in the 2002 final. The Frenchman, by the way, won his third European title with the club – one as a player and two in just a season and a half as manager.

Juventus seemed to abandon its attacking intent in the second half, though, initially taking a cagier approach that, for a while, turned the game into a festival of hard tackles. But Real, which had controlled possession in the first half, seized the edge in chances in the second half as well, as the Spaniards lay siege to Buffon’s penalty area.

Just after the hour, Casemiro unleashed a speculative long shot. It took a savage deflection off Sami Khedira’s heel, imparting a tight spin that swirled the ball just out of Buffon’s range.

Casemiro with the blast. Khedira with the deflection. Buffon beaten. #UCLfinal https://t.co/V2k1pDnsyQ — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 3, 2017





And three minutes later, the deed was done as Ronaldo got his second. The outstanding Luka Modric reached the back line and managed to cut the ball back into the Portuguese’s path. He had spotted a seam in Juve’s typically tight three-man back line, met the ball and cleanly redirected it into the net.

Ronaldo's second goal of the game and 12th of this #UCL season gives Real a 2-goal lead! Game over? #UCLfinal https://t.co/pgmczPC7wZ — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 3, 2017





Juve’s re-commitment to pushing forward following the third goal was too long in waiting and ultimately toothless. And whatever venom was left in a side seemingly aware that it was already beaten seeped away when Juan Cuadrado managed to get himself sent off with a second yellow card in the 85th minute, after coming on in the second half.

In the 90th minute, Marco Asensio confirmed this with a fourth Real goal, finishing off a clever bit of play from Marcelo.





Real, again, was the deserving European champion. And now that it has almost twice as many continental crowns as any other club, there can be no doubt about the identity of the most successful soccer team in the world – as if any remained. Just as Ronaldo confirmed his greatness, should it not have already been established well before Saturday.

Europe has a new soccer champion. Same as the old champion.

Leander Schaerlaeckens is a Yahoo Sports soccer columnist. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.</s>A decade ago Juventus were embroiled in a scandal over fixing matches. Now they are just immersed in winning them.

Sergio Porrini believes a Champions League victory over Real Madrid in Cardiff tonight will be a clear symbol of the Turin club’s return to greatness.

In 2006, the Old Lady of Italian football were relegated to Serie B after the Calciopoli investigations linked them to the rigging of games.

It provoked national uproar as club officials were dragged through the courts but Juve and their fans suffered most.

They were stripped of two top-flight titles, demoted to the league below and deserted by superstar players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Fabio Cannavaro.

Former managing director Luciano Moggi was given a life ban from the game and the club’s reputation was in tatters. At that point a Champions League Final appearance seemed a million miles away.

The Juventus side Porrini was part of in the mid-90s had established themselves as one of Europe’s major forces. Having beaten Ajax to lift the trophy in 1996, they were losing finalists the following year against Borussia Dortmund.

Back then under Marcello Lippi they feared no one. According to Porrini winning games became part of Juventus’ DNA. And the former Rangers defender insists that aside from everything else they lost in 2006 that mindset was the toughest thing to regain.

After returning to Serie A they went through a period of indifference. A revolving door of managers could only muster sixth and seventh-place finishes. But that all changed when Antonio Conte returned to his spiritual home six years ago.

He has been a revelation at Chelsea this season as the Blues have rediscovered their winning touch. But it was the same at his former club as he reinvigorated Juve and made them believe they belonged in the same company as Real. That’s why Porrini says tonight’s clash is so important.

Speaking to Record Sport he said: “Winning this Champions League would mean so much to Juventus for many reasons. They haven’t won it since 1996 when I was involved with the squad.

“For a club like Juventus not to have won it in 21 years is very strange. Because as a club they always played to win everything, whether it was in Italy or Europe.

“But after Juventus were relegated to the second division in 2006 they have struggled to build a team capable of challenging again at the top in Europe.

“Since then they have found it difficult to get to the same level and be competitive with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

“It wasn’t easy for the club. They have needed a lot of time. In the beginning they suffered a lot of problems. They could only finish low down in Serie A.

“But everything changed when Conte came back as manager. He gave them back a winning mentality. He made it important for Juve players to win any game.

“Even if you’re 10 points in front of the team below you – you must win.

“Conte brought that winning mentality back and they’ve had it ever since. It goes right through the club now. But winning the Champions League will mean they’ve realised the dream – it’s proof they’re finally competitive again with any team in the world.”

Juvenuts reached a final two years ago against Barcelona in Berlin but Luis Enrique’s side were simply too good.

Porrini, however, insists Max Allegri’s men now have the confidence to see off Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid.

He said: “You can win six Serie A titles in a row but the real exam for Juventus is the Champions League. Finally now they believe they can win it. That’s the difference. They now have the same mentality we had in 1996. When I compare those teams I see similarities.

“Now when Juventus play any game they have blood eyes. Even if the game isn’t that important they play to win. They’re ruthless and they’re not afraid of anyone. The build-up to this game on Saturday is quite different to two years ago against Barcelona.

“They achieved a great thing by reaching that final. But when they got there they didn’t really have the confidence to win it. They were a little bit afraid of Barca.

“Now it’s different. They’re up against a great Real Madrid side but they know they can beat them. Juventus played brilliantly against Barcelona in the quarter-final so they believe they can defeat anybody. If they can beat them they can take on any team.”

If Juve manage to nullify Cristiano Ronaldo and Co they will need veteran keeper Gigi Buffon to excel. Every neutral in Europe will be supporting Juventus in the hope that, six months before Buffon’s 40th birthday, he can get his hands on the trophy for the first time.

If he does Porrini says Buffon can justifiably lay claim to being the best we have ever seen between the sticks.

He said: “For Buffon to win this now it would be a statement he’s the best goalkeeper ever. It would mean he has won everything, from the World Cup, the Euros and league titles to the Champions League.

“At nearly 40, he would be saying to the world of football that he’s currently one of the best keepers around and maybe the greatest ever.

“Two or three years ago he was getting a lot of criticism in Italy. They were saying he was too old, he was finished, he wasn’t performing at his best. But he has come back so strong.

“He let his football do the talking. He worked so hard to get back to his best and he’s proving these people wrong.

“Of course the Juventus players will want to win it for him. But the biggest motivation is for the club. This is a great chance for them to make history by doing a Treble.”</s>Dani Alves is hoping his penchant for winning cups rubs off on his team mates when Juventus try to end a 21-year wait for the Champions League title by beating Real Madrid on Saturday. During a trophy-laden eight years with Barcelona the 34-year-old Brazilian right back won the Champions League three times as well as three Club World Cups and three UEFA Super Cups.

Add in the two UEFA Cups he won with Sevilla and it is obvious why Juventus feel that in Alves they have a player who can guide them to European glory.

Alves is no lover of record books, however, and says his vast collection of silverware will mean nothing if Juventus fall short in Cardiff’s National Stadium.

“The moments you have had are just history but history is made in every moment,” Alves, a key figure in Juve’s domestic double having signed last year, told reporters on Friday.

“You need to try every day to add pages to that story – life has brought me to this team to try to deliver this dream.

“I don’t feel more important just because I’ve been through this. I just came to try to share this dream with them.”

Alves is the second-most decorated footballer of all time in European competitions with nine winners’ medals – one behind former AC Milan great Paolo Maldini on the all-time list.

He won the Champions League in 2008–09 and 2010–11 and again in 2014–15 with Barca when Juventus were their victims in the final.

Veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was in goal for Juve two years ago and will be again on Saturday, is yet to add a Champions League winners’ medal to his showcase and Alves would like nothing more than to fill that space for his team mate.

“For a player as a big as Gigi it wouldn’t change his career as a player but I think it would be one more wonderful page added to his football history,” he said.

“When I arrived I said they weren’t signing a star but a worker who wanted to achieve things with them, in order to take the Cup home. We need to make sure the dream comes reality and it would be something to finally win this trophy with Buffon. It’s nice to live all this again with my new team mates.”

After nearly a decade being a thorn in the left-hand side of a succession of Real Madrid teams with Barca, Alves plays down the significance of Saturday’s opponents.

“It’s special to me but it’s not Dani Alves v Real Madrid, it’s Juventus v Real Madrid,” he said.

For all the latest Sports News, download Indian Express App</s>CARDIFF (Reuters) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid beat Juventus 4-1 in a memorable Champions League final full of attacking verve and brilliant goals on Saturday as the Spaniards won the title for the third time in four years and 12th in all.

Portugal forward Ronaldo hit Real’s first and third goals to become only the second man to score in three European Cup finals and take his career goal tally to 600 for club and country.

Few of those will have matched Mario Mandzukic’s spectacular overhead equaliser for Juventus, which was eventually in vain for the Italian side who had the best of the first half before being swept aside in the second.

A long-range deflected effort by Casemiro and a neat finish by the irrepressible Ronaldo within four minutes effectively settled one of the most entertaining finals for years, with a late tap-in by substitute Marco Asensio adding the gloss.

The victory means Real are the first team to successfully defend the trophy in the Champions League era. AC Milan were the last team to retain Europe’s top prize when they triumphed in 1989 and 1990.

“It’s been a spectacular year, you couldn’t dream of anything better,” said Real coach Zinedine Zidane.

“We won the (Spanish) league on the very last day. It’s very difficult to reach the Champions League final two years running, but we did that.”

“The first half was difficult, but in the second we were quickly superior. We pressed a lot more and physically we won the game there too, so I’m very happy.”

It was heartbreak again for Juve, however, who were seeking a treble after winning the Italian league and cup. They came away as losers for the seventh time in nine European Cup finals having also lost to Barcelona in 2015.

The Italians let in more goals on Saturday than the three they had conceded in the 12 games they played to reach the final as a much-vaunted Real attack versus Juve defense scenario went emphatically in Madrid’s favor.

REAL STRIKE

Juventus looked the more adventurous side in the first 20 minutes but it was Real who struck first after the sort of trigonometric build-up that coaches write books about.

Ronaldo was at the heart of it, playing the ball into the path of Dani Carvajal who cut it straight back to allow the Portuguese forward to sweep the ball sweetly into the far corner.

That made Ronaldo the second man to score in three finals, after Alfredo Di Stefano, who netted in five in a row for Real in the 1950s.

Ronaldo’s effort was eclipsed seven minutes later by one of the all-time great final goals.

Juve center back Leonardo Bonucci drove a long diagonal ball which Alex Sandro reached and cushioned back across the box.

Britain Soccer Football - Juventus v Real Madrid - UEFA Champions League Final - The National Stadium of Wales, Cardiff - June 3, 2017 Real Madrid celebrate with the trophy after winning the UEFA Champions League Final Reuters / Pawel Kopczynski Livepic

With another volley Gonzalo Higuain knocked it to Croatia striker Mandzukic, who took a touch on his chest and, with his back to goal, struck a stunning bicycle kick that looped over Real keeper Keylor Navas.

The ball did not touch the ground between leaving Bonucci’s boot and hitting the net.

The Juventus fans in the 72,000 crowd erupted, ramping up the atmosphere that was already crackling under the closed stadium roof.

DIFFERENT STORY

It was a different story after the break, however, and though Juve’s drilled defense initially kept Real at arm’s length, they were undone by a two-goal salvo.

Casemiro made it 2-1 after 61 minutes when his deflected long-range wrong-footed veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon - who has now lost in three finals - and Ronaldo swept in the third at the near post after a great run and cross by Luka Modric.

Juventus then wilted and finished with 10 men after Juan Cuadrado was sent off in the 84th minute – 18 minutes after coming on as a substitute – following a second booking for the mildest of pushes on defender Sergio Ramos, whose theatrics left a sour taste on an otherwise uplifting occasion.

Asensio tucked in the fourth goal after Marcelo had charged to the byline and Real’s dominance was complete.

“Again, I’ve had an amazing season,” said Ronaldo. “Me and my team mates have done the double. The numbers don’t lie. I’m very happy – an amazing season, we’ve won trophies.

Slideshow (10 Images)

“This is one of the best moments of my career – I have the chance to say this every year.”

After a positive start it turned into a hugely frustrating night for Juventus and their coach Max Allegri.

“My only criticism of my team is that after the second goal we should have found a solution to stay in the game,” he said.

“But Real Madrid have important players and when they have a player who wins the Ballon d’Or (Ronaldo) it’s a huge advantage.”</s>Before trying to work out what will ultimately decide the 2017 Champions League final, it’s worth trying to work something else out, that actually illustrates how supremely tight and tense this match in Cardiff is going to be: how many Juventus players would actually get into the Real Madrid team? I would say few. And the opposite, how many Real Madrid players would get into the Juventus team? I would say many… but that doesn’t mean there is all that much between the sides.

I think both are great teams, very close in overall quality, but for different reasons.

Juventus base their performances on the strength of the collective, Real on their collection of individual stars.

The key to this match will then be the middle of the park, and how one particular clash of styles plays out. I am very sure Real will be the proactive team, that will have control of the ball, and dominate that middle. The difference however is that Juventus will feel just as comfortable without the ball as Real’s stars do with it. They are perfectly accustomed to such situations, and being forced back certainly won’t bring any panic.

Juve know they have other advantages, are a lot better than Real defending in the box. The quality of their defensive line really is unbelievable. What so stands out is that, for players like Leo Bonucci and especially Giorgio Chiellini, defending is like a mission. They relish it. They appreciate being able to make such challenges, rather than being any way concerned by them.

It’s going to be difficult for Real to open that, but I would expect Marcelo to come forward more with Isco then as a mobile attacking midfielder, meaning Zinedine Zidane’s side will outnumber Juve in the centre.

The question then will be how Max Allegri responds to that to tilt the game. Will he play four in defence with Dani Alves right-back, or put the Brazilian at wing-back and go for three at the back. If he does the latter, I think it will successfully congest the midfield and disrupt Real, but also allow Juventus to take advantage of the space left in behind Marcelo when he moves forward. That could well be essential.

Because, just as Marcelo has maybe been Real’s most important force in this run to the final along with Cristiano Ronaldo, Dani Alves has been one of Juventus’. Look what he did against Monaco in the semi-final. Every time that one of the French champions’ wide players moved up - in a similar way to what Dani Carvajal and Marcelo do for Real - Dani Alves was straight in behind to create complete havoc.

I would think Allegri will look to this, although it will be interesting what he ultimately decides on when the game starts, and then when it gets going.

Another characteristic of this entire Champions League campaign of course has been a game going a certain way and Ronaldo doing little… only for him to then arrive out of nowhere and decide it. This could yet again be the difference, but will also be playing a different defensive force, and without the mental hang-ups regarding Real Madrid that Atletico Madrid had.

Up against Monaco and Kylian Mbappe for example, Bonucci and Chiellini just allowed them no chances. They feel so comfortable defending deep, like Atletico when at their best (and not playing Real). When the ball comes into the box, they leave the zonal concerns, and instead so readily defend the man and often win the individual battle. So, I can see players from the second line - like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos or Isco - taking advantage here, more so than Ronaldo. If Juventus can keep them out and use Alves like that on the break, it feels much more open at the other end between Pablo Dybala and Sergio Ramos.

Either way, it’s a match that’s almost impossible to predict, because small details are going to be the difference. Neither side can afford any mistake. One could be enough to settle it.</s>Two European giants Real Madrid and Juventus are set to battle each other at the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League final in Cardiff on Saturday, June 3, in a game regarded as world biggest club football competition.

Domestic champions of Spain and Italy respectively, the teams set to contest the showcase at the Millennium Stadium.

Madrid will enter the game as slight favourites due to the influence the French tactician, Zinedine Zidane has had over the Spanish capital city club in the last 12 months.

The 2017 final is a repeat of the 1998 showpiece, with holders Real Madrid aiming to be the first team to retain the UEFA Champions League title and Juventus seeking to get a revenge and win a third European crown.

The 2016/17 UEFA Champions League final pits the season’s top scorers, holders Real Madrid, against a Juventus side who have conceded just three goals en route to the final in Cardiff.

The Bianconeri are set to make this season Champions League final there third in history and second since the competition has been renamed, Real Madrid are keen on breaking the jinx of no team have been able to reclaim the UCL trophy since it has been renamed.

Real are regarded as king of Champions League finals, with their current attacking strength that have scored 31 goals in 13 games on their way to the finals and look set to claim another European cup.

Juventus on the other hand have conceded just three goals on their road to the final as well, showing how disciple the team is defensively and will be out to do the same against Real Madrid when the two sides file up against each other.

Cristiano Ronaldo with 10 goals will be aiming to add to his tally by either equaling or overtake Lionel Messi as the competition’s top scorer, some football enthusiast might not see that happening against a formidable defensive side like Juventus.

Juventus’ top scorer is ex-Real Madrid man Gonzalo Higuain with five, as his teams is known for their solidity in defense than attack.

With all the stats given, it has been said that most final have always been decided on attitude, determination, concentration and discipline.

No doubt, both sides want to win the Champions league to cap their fine run this season. Gianluigi Buffon and Cristiano Ronaldo will be counting on their teammate to win these tournament which will help boost their chances of winning the ”BALLON D OR” award, Massimiliano Allegri will be eyeing the trophy at the second time of asking while Zinedine Zidane is also looking to make history as the first manager to win the new edition back to back.

The French coach has the entire Los Blancos team playing cohesively, with world-class stars ready to win the competition for the La Liga side.

Juventus should not be written off, with Max Allegri’s men already knocking title favourites, Barcelona out of the competition in the quarterfinals shows the team have the pedigree to win the final.

The Bianconeri boast world football’s most-tenacious defence, with the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci keeping Lionel Messi and Barcelona scoreless for 180 minutes.

The game should be a celebration of all things that are good about football – two historic clubs steeped in prestige, world-class players and the biggest stage.

History will be made come June 3rd, as there would be only one winner at the end of the day, but the question is; who will it be Juventus or Real Madrid?

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Also, Like us on facebook</s>(AP Photo/Frank Augstein). Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon catches a ball during a training session at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Friday June 2, 2017. Real Madrid will play Juventus in the final of the Champions League soccer match i...

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein). Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo controls a ball during a training session at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Friday June 2, 2017. Real Madrid will play Juventus in the final of the Champions League soccer match in Ca...

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth). Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane watches Luka Modric during a training session at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Friday June 2, 2017. Real Madrid will play Juventus in the final of the Champions League ...

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth). Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, controls the ball during a training session at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Friday June 2, 2017. Real Madrid will play Juventus in the final of the Champions League socc...

(AP Photo/Frank Augstein). Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo watches the ball during a training session at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Friday June 2, 2017. Real Madrid will play Juventus in the final of the Champions League soccer match in C...

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) - The latest from the Champions League final (all times local):

GOAL: Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Real Madrid in the 64th minute.

GOAL: Casemiro scores for Real Madrid in the 61st minute.

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric had the first shot on target in the second half, but the ball flew safely into the arms of Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

The teams are still even at 1-1 in the 55th minute of the Champions League final.

The second half of the Champions League final has started with Juventus and Real Madrid even at 1-1.

If the score remains tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play 30 minutes of extra time. If it's still tied, there will be penalty kicks.

Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Juventus was Real Madrid's 500th in the Champions League, the first team to reach that mark.

He also scored the team's 400th in the competition.

The goal also extended Madrid's streak of scoring at least one goal in 65 matches.

With his first-half goal, Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in three Champions League finals.

Ronaldo also scored with Manchester United in the 2008 final against Chelsea, and with Real Madrid in the 2014 final against Atletico Madrid. Last year, when Real Madrid again defeated Atletico in the final, he converted the deciding penalty kick in the shootout.

The goal on Saturday in Cardiff also allowed Ronaldo to tie Lionel Messi as the top scorer in this year's competition with 11.

Ronaldo is the only player to have scored more than 100 goals in the Champions League.

Cristiano Ronaldo put Real Madrid ahead in the Champions League final, but Juventus quickly hit back with a superb overhead shot by Mario Mandzukic to leave the teams level 1-1 at halftime.

After being set up with a touch pass by Gonzalo Higuain inside the area, Mandzukic used his chest to control the ball and sent a 27th-minute volley over goalkeeper Keylor Navas with his back to the goal.

Seven minutes earlier, Ronaldo scored with a low shot from just inside the box after a pass by defender Dani Carvajal from the right flank following a breakaway that started with Karim Benzema near midfield.

Juventus had started well, creating most of the chances, but Madrid steadily evened the action at the Millennium Stadium.

The teams had fewer chances going into halftime.

Mario Mandzukic scored with an amazing overhead shot from inside the area to put Juventus level with Real Madrid 1-1 in the Champions League final.

Gonzalo Higuain set up Mandzukic with a touch pass, and the Croatian forward controlled the ball with his chest and sent a volley over goalkeeper Keylor Navas with his back to the goal.

Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo fed Dani Carvajal on the right flank and the defender sent a low cross back for Ronaldo inside the area. The Portugal forward scored with a low shot into the far corner, with Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon diving but not being able to reach the ball.

GOAL: Mario Mandzukic scores for Juventus in the 27th minute.

Juventus and Real Madrid are even at 1-1 in the Champions League final.

GOAL: Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Real Madrid in the 20th minute.

After 10 minutes, it's still scoreless in the Champions League final and Juventus is still the better team.

Real Madrid has improved, making it harder for Juventus to get out its own area, but the chances in the match so far belong to the Italian team.

Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain put two balls on target in the opening minutes of the Champions League final.

Higuain first sent a header toward the net that Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas easily controlled. A few seconds later, a shot from Higuain was fumbled briefly by Navas but he soon got a hold of it.

Two more attempts from Juventus soon followed, putting the Italian team in control at the start.

The Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid has started, a bit later than scheduled for the second year in a row.

Again because the opening ceremony ran long, the match started a short time after its 7:45 p.m. local time slot.

The Black Eyed Peas performed on a makeshift stage in the middle of the field before the Champions League final as part of the opening ceremony.

With pyrotechnics and dancers around the stage, the hip-hop group played for several minutes.

The dancers soon emerged on the field with huge flags for both teams, Juventus and Real Madrid.

The Champions League final is set to be viewed in more than 200 territories.

UEFA estimates a global television audience of more than 160 million.

With 15 minutes to go before kickoff in the Champions League final, the players have cleared the field and the opening ceremony is about to begin.

The players for Juventus and Real Madrid went back into the locker rooms as a giant tarp was pulled over the field by dozens of soldiers in uniform.

Real Madrid is practicing volleys akin to the one Zinedine Zidane scored for the team in the 2002 Champions League final.

Zidane scored one of the greatest goals in the competition's history when he volleyed in a shot against Bayer Leverkusen, giving Madrid its ninth European Cup.

The players lined up inside the area as a coach sent in volleys to kick on goal.

As the "away" team, Real Madrid will be wearing purple uniforms for the Champions League final.

Juventus, which is technically the "home" team, will be in its usual black-and-white striped shirts with white shorts.

Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of the players on Real Madrid and Juventus are on the field warming up for the Champions League final.

The players walked through the tunnel and onto the field to a huge roar from the thousands of Real Madrid and Juventus supporters already in the stadium with about 40 minutes to go before kickoff.

Juventus came out first, followed by Madrid.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas was one of the first players to run out on the field to warm up for the Champions League final against Juventus.

Navas and backup Kiko Casilla did some light runs and stretches as coaches set up some balls in the area.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane will play with Francisco "Isco" Alarcon instead of Gareth Bale in the starting lineup.

Bale, who was born in Cardiff, was left out of the squad despite having fully recovered from injuries that had kept him sidelined for several months, including an ankle ailment that forced him to undergo surgery in November.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema were set to play up front, while Dani Carvajal, who missed some recent games because of a muscle injury, was set to start at right back in place of Danilo.

There were no surprises in the Juventus lineup, with Gonzalo Higuain leading the offense alongside Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic.

A handful of players from both Juventus and Real Madrid went straight onto the field after arriving for the Champions League final.

Still in street clothes, the Juventus players were loudly greeted by the Italian crowd.

A few steps away, some Real Madrid players were also lingering on the field.

And now the Juventus bus has arrived.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was one of the first to get off, leading the way as his team gets ready to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

The bus carrying Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid teammates has arrived at the Millennium Stadium for the Champions League final.

Madrid will take on Juventus in its quest to win a 12th European Cup. Madrid is also trying to become the first team in the Champions League era to win back-to-back titles.

The match officials are out inspecting the field at the Millennium Stadium for the Champions League final.

Dressed in green jackets and black pants, the group of officials checked the nets to make sure they were ready.

The referee for Saturday's match between Juventus and Real Madrid is Felix Brych of Germany.

Real Madrid fans who could not make the trip to Cardiff for the Champions League final will be able to watch the match on huge screens inside the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Four screens will be placed at midfield for fans willing to pay 10 euros ($11) to be at the stadium for Saturday's match against Juventus.

Several attractions will be organized before the game to keep the fans entertained.

Last year, when Madrid beat crosstown rival Atletico Madrid in the final in Milan, the club said nearly 80,000 fans watched the match at the Bernabeu.

If Madrid wins the title this season, the stadium is expected to host the team's celebrations on Sunday night.

The security at the Millennium Stadium received some praise from a few Juventus supporters.

Nicholas Borghi, a 51-year-old bar owner from Milan, said passing through security for the Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid was easy.

"In Italy, it's more difficult because Juventus is very strict. There are a lot of controls," said Borghi, who was at the match with his friend. "When we go abroad, it's easier for us."

Umberto Smiraglia, who was in Cardiff with his nephew, was impressed that things were so smooth considering the recent attack in Manchester.

"Great organization, to be honest," Smiraglia said. "I expected it to be worse or at least to be tougher because of what happened in Manchester."

The fans are starting to enter the Millennium Stadium for the Champions League final.

There's still about three hours until the match between Juventus and Real Madrid starts, but the doors have opened and some fans are getting in early to get their spots.

The side that will seat the Madrid fans is loaded with purple and white flags, the team's colors. The other side already has some Juventus banners lying on the seats ready to be deployed.

The scoreboards on either side of the stadium are ready, too, with the message of "Welcome" in English, Italian and Spanish flanked by the crests of the two clubs. Along the side of the screen is an image of the Champions League trophy, often referred to as the European Cup.

Members of Real Madrid's first team received 800 tickets to give away to guests for the final.

Madrid received 17,518 tickets for the final, with about 15,000 allocated to club members. The club conducted a lottery to accommodate the more than 44,000 requests it received for the tickets to Saturday's final.

With less than four hours to go before the Champions League final, the roof at the Millennium Stadium is being closed.

Saturday's match between Real Madrid and Juventus will be the first Champions League final played under a closed roof.

The match will be played indoors because of security fears.

The charter plane carrying relatives of Real Madrid players was delayed for more than an hour in Spain because of the high number of flights arriving at Cardiff's airport for the Champions League final against Juventus.

Players' relatives used social media to talk about the delay.

Spanish daily Marca said the flight was still expected to make it to Cardiff in good time for the final.

Cardiff Airport was at capacity because of the high influx of fans arriving from Spain and Italy.

Trains arriving at Cardiff were packed with Italian and Spanish fans who spent the night in nearby cities because of the limited hotel capacity in the Welsh capital.

Many fans were unable to find a place to stay in Cardiff and had to seek alternatives in neighboring cities, such as Bristol.

"It was impossible to find a place to stay in Cardiff, everything was booked well in advance," said Real Madrid fan Mario Herrero, who made the trip of about one hour from Bristol into Cardiff. "We had to look for hotels in other cities, it was the only solution."

Most trains were filled to capacity but there were no reports of problems for fans arriving at Cardiff's main station.

With a population of just 350,000, Cardiff is one of the smallest cities to host a Champions League final.

Fans still wanting to watch the Champions League final are being charged hefty amounts of money by ticket scalpers.

Tickets were going for up to 1,500 euros ($1,700) outside Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, ahead of the final between Juventus and Real Madrid.

Police were warning fans against the possibility of forged tickets.

The Black Eyed Peas are promising an energetic show when they perform at the Champions League final.

The Grammy Award-winning eclectic hip-hop group will be entertaining the Cardiff stadium crowd just before Juventus and Real Madrid meet in the biggest club game in world soccer.

Will.i.am told The Associated Press that "there's a lot of eyeballs, a lot of football fans and hopefully we can bring a lot of music fans to watch us too. So, unlike the Super Bowl and the World Cup, this is the second time we've had music at a UEFA opening ceremony, so we're happy to be number two."

Alicia Keys performed before last season's final in Milan.

Saturday's Champions League final is the first being played under a closed roof due to security fears that intensified in the wake of the Manchester Arena attack last month that killed 22 people.

Will.i.am said: "I try not to let fear govern where I go. I love this country and I will always."

It's match day in Cardiff where Juventus and Real Madrid will face off in the Champions League final.

Madrid has featured in three finals in the past four seasons, winning in 2014 and 2016. Now, Madrid is looking to become the first team to retain a Champions League title and win a record-extending 12th European Cup.

Juventus is chasing its third title, having not won European soccer's top prize since 1996. The Italian side lost to Barcelona on its last visit to the final in 2015.

Ten of thousands of fans are descending on the Welsh capital for the match, with limited hotel capacity to accommodate them.

With a population of just 350,000, Cardiff is one of the smallest cities to host a Champions League final.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The footballing superstars of Real Madrid and Juventus have arrived in Cardiff ahead of the Champions League final .

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gianluigi Buffon, Karim Benzema and, of course, Gareth Bale landed at Cardiff Airport before making their way to their respective team hotels by bus.

Real Madrid drove to the heart of the city, where they are staying in the Holland House Hotel. There were several excited fans on the street to see them arrive.

The Juventus' team coach pulled into the Vale Resort with little fanfare. The only sign they were arriving beforehand was the sound of a helicopter overhead.

There were a handful of fans (and some bemused gym goers) who stopped to get a quick picture. But the team didn't stop so there were no selfies or snaps.

Members of the Italian media had also gathered at the four star hotel. The team exited the coach quickly and made their way straight inside. Other club officials left their chauffeur driven cars and followed them inside.

Cardiff has been transformed over the last week ahead of one of the world's biggest sporting events.

The stadium has been given a Champions League makeover, while Cardiff Bay is the site for a Champions League Festival, with a floating football pitch which is hosting a "legends" match featuring the likes of Luis Figo and Roberto Carlos.</s>It's match day in Cardiff where Juventus and Real Madrid will face off in the Champions League final at the Millenium Stadium.

Madrid have featured in three finals in the past four seasons, winning in 2014 and 2016. Now, Madrid are looking to become the first team to retain a Champions League title and win a record-extending 12th European Cup.

Juventus are chasing their third title, having not won European football's top prize since 1996. The Italian side lost to Barcelona on their last visit to the final in 2015.

Ten of thousands of fans are descending on the Welsh capital for the match, with limited hotel capacity to accommodate them.

With a population of just 350,000, Cardiff is one of the smallest cities to host a Champions League final.

Completing a season when age has slowly caught up with him, Cristiano Ronaldo will be trying to break new ground on familiar territory.

When the Real Madrid forward takes to the pitch to face Juventus on Saturday, it will be the fifth Champions League final in nine years for the three-time winner.

One thing is already certain to change on Saturday: The continent's showpiece will be contested under a closed roof, with Cardiff authorities guarding against the possibility of a drone attack.

It won't be a new experience for Ronaldo, though. He was a regular visitor to the Welsh national stadium during his Manchester United career while it staged English football's finals, although the only time he played under cover he lost. The 2005 FA Cup final was also the only one of Ronaldo's four visits with United that he didn't score and emerge victorious.

It was a rare setback in a career that continues to deliver, even as the 32-year-old forward has had to increasingly accept being on the sidelines to stay fresh for the big occasions. It's hard to argue because Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane's squad rotation system has netted Madrid the Spanish league title and yet another Champions League final.

"Obviously what I want the most is to play more freely up front," Ronaldo said, "and that is the opportunity Zinedine Zidane has been giving me as a No 9. I play freely. I play on the wing, down the middle. I play whenever I think I should."

Ronaldo, however, is unlikely to find much freedom against Juventus, a team with one of the best defenses in soccer. In 12 European games this season, Juventus have only conceded three goals and are looking to become the first undefeated champion since Manchester United in 2008.

At the heart of that Juventus defense is a guy looking to become the oldest Champions League winner: 39-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon. A European title is the one of the few major prizes to elude the Italian in an illustrious career that has seen him lose two Champions League finals.

"I'm a young boy even though I'm 39 years old," Buffon said through a translator in Cardiff. "Many people think about my very long career ... I got more than I gave, but that would be the perfect finale and people like fairytales."

Madrid will be facing a sturdy defense supported by a formidable attacking unit led by Paulo Dybala. The Argentine, who has drawn inevitable comparisons with Lionel Messi, has scored four goals in 10 European appearances this season.

Dybala has thrived since Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri changed the team's formation to accommodate their attacking talents. Dybala joined Juan Cuadrado and Mario Mandzukic in a trio sitting just behind Gonzalo Higuain, while Miralem Pjanic has been behind them alongside Sami Khedira.

"The 4-2-3-1 formation came to me the moment I realised our team wouldn't progress any further if we kept the old tactics and formation," Allegri said. "I assessed our players' strengths and I tried to put them on the pitch in their favorite positions and I also tried to encourage our attacking skills."

A sixth consecutive Serie A title has already been won. Now it's about preventing a repeat of the 2015 final loss to Barcelona with a much-changed squad.
In football, Real Madrid defeats Juventus 4–1. The Spanish team becomes the first to win back-to-back titles since the competition became known as the Champions League, and to win their 12th title in the competition.