Juventus will get the chance to take their revenge on Real Madrid following the defeat in last season’s Champions League final. The first leg is played tonight in Turin.
Last summer Real Madrid spoiled the chance for Juventus to have a perfect season. The Madrid side won their second consecutive final. It finished 4-1 and Real looked set to become a European powerhouse under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane. On the other hand, Juventus were left hurt, but promising they would soon return to the final.
What has changed since then? Real Madrid has largely failed in La Liga this season. But they’ve stayed on course in the Champions League and are looking to add a third consecutive trophy, which should be enough to save Zidane’s job.
Juventus has found an unexpected rival in the Serie A. Their battle for a seventh consecutive Scudetto is challenged by Napoli. While Allegri’s side are four points ahead of their second place rivals, the Naples side promises to be ready to go all the way to the last game of the season.
There’s a sense that both teams have something to avenge. Juventus, most of all, want to set things right after last year’s defeat. Massimiliano Allegri promises that the team has learned since last season. The Serie A champions look to relish the chance to get a redo at defeating Real. After all, this is one of European football’s biggest rivalries.
“That’s something that influenced us. From a psychological view the team has certainly made huge strides since then. The important thing is to stay very focused and stay in the match without giving anything up,” Allegri says.
The Madrid’s side most famous player, Cristiano Ronaldo, looks ready for another memorable game. This season the Portuguese has been given more chances to rest. And while the campaign started out at an unexpected slow pace for the winger, he has moved back to his regular top notch performances.
“Ronaldo will always score against everyone. Real are more than just him but, over the years, he has played amazingly well and made the difference. Thinking about stopping him is presumptuous, it will also take luck. The difference between winning and losing will be marginal,” says Juventus defending mastermind Giorgio Chiellini.
Expect a tense game between two of the best teams in the world. It’s surely the kind of encounter that can only be witnessed in a competition of the Champions League’s stature. All games from the competition are hosted through the FootballCoin contests. Registration is free and your skill will earn you crypto prizes.
