Real Madrid vs. Juventus: Head-to-Head Battle
The UEFA Champions League final pits Juventus against Real Madrid in what should be an absolute classic of a season climax on Saturday.
Juve have the best defence, Real one of the world's finest attacks, and both have already claimed their respective domestic league titles for 2016/17.
As for the final, whoever comes out on top will cap a memorable year, but which starting XI is the stronger on a man-for-man basis?
We've pitted the likely starting lineups head-to-head, assessing who is stronger in each role and totalling up the scores to decide the team with the better XI—by this particular comparison at least.
GK: Gigi Buffon vs. Keylor Navas
1 of 13
Naturally, given the two sides are in the final of Europe's most elite tournament, there are going to be a fair few close battles; but in the goalkeeper department, there's a clear winner.
Gigi Buffon is a legend of the game, a man who has won it all except this competition, and his consistency, high level of performance and leadership are all of paramount importance to Juventus.
Against that, Keylor Navas has been fantastic for Real Madrid, although he has been through bouts of inconsistent form this term. Also, with the club making a £60 million bid for a new stopper just before the final, per Sky Sports News HQ, it isn't going to exactly boost the Costa Rican's confidence.
Buffon 10-8 Navas
RB: Dani Alves vs. Danilo
2 of 13
It's a bit of a mismatch at right-back, too, but only because Real Madrid's first choice, Dani Carvajal, has been out injured. The right-back has confirmed, per Marca, that he's back fit and ready—but is he fit enough to start the final after more than a month out?
If so, he's more defensively sound than Danilo, but the Brazilian has the power to get forward on the counter, whereas Carvajal is more studious in his approach, overlapping once buildup has already begun.
Dani Alves has been phenomenal this season, with the veteran already winning the double in his debut campaign in Turin.
He'll be a constant problem for Real's left side to deal with, and even if Carvajal starts, it's Alves who has the edge on this season's form.
Alves 9-7 Danilo (Carvajal 8)
CB: Leonardo Bonucci vs. Raphael Varane
3 of 13
In the centre of defence, there's an even look about things by purely technical ability, though there's no doubting that as a team, Juventus have a more balanced, protective and tactically secure approach.
This is just about positional head-to-head, though, and there's not too much in it between the aggressive Leonardo Bonucci and the cultured Raphael Varane.
The Juve man is dominant aerially, has a great long-range pass on him and is committed to the last; Varane has tremendous recovery pace, is composed in possession and is a threat at the opposite end of the pitch, too.
Bonucci 8-8 Varane
CB: Giorgio Chiellini vs. Sergio Ramos
4 of 13
Both these players have had sticky patches to get through this term, but both are widely regarded among the world's finest centre-backs.
Giorgio Chiellini's form stuttered in the early part of the campaign, as highlighted by Bleacher Report's Juve writer Adam Digby, while Sergio Ramos has improved markedly from a horrendous opening few months where his positional sense, decision-making and even on-the-ball work in his own half all gifted goals away.
Over the past few months, though, Ramos has been solid and consistent—and his double-figures season for scoring makes him an important part of the team at the other end, too.
Either of these players could help their team win the match.
Chiellini 9-9 Ramos
LB: Alex Sandro vs. Marcelo
5 of 13
At left-back, it's two more Brazilians, but this time the balance is tipped in Real Madrid's favour.
Marcelo has been astonishingly good this season, ranging from wing-back outlet to a playmaking defender who is happy to cut inside, take on men and find a route to goal. His defensive work has improved, he shoulders responsibility for picking up the tempo of the game and his athleticism remains undiminished.
Alex Sandro is a class act in his own right who has enjoyed a fine season, but he cannot lay claim to be quite as good, quite as consistent or quite as much of an all-rounder as the Real man at this time.
On a wider tactical note, Real's left side is perhaps the avenue to exploit when they want to attack: Marcelo linking with Toni Kroos, Isco and Cristiano Ronaldo in the channel.
Alex Sandro 8-9 Marcelo
DM: Sami Khedira vs. Casemiro
6 of 13
Quite the battle here. First up is Sami Khedira, formerly of Real Madrid, who is a complete dynamo in midfield who can be part-ball-winner, part-driving force through the centre and a late ghost runner into the box in attack
He's up against Casemiro, the anchor man who is aerially strong, tactically disciplined and a far better passer from deep than some give him credit for.
Khedira, as part of a double pivot, will have more licence to roam and surge forward than Casemiro will, and so we might see much more of him in the buildup phases of play, but Casemiro will be primarily charged with stopping that—as well as denying Juve's forwards space to receive the ball in.
On the occasions they meet in the centre, expect nothing less than full-blooded commitment on both sides.
Khedira 9-9 Casemiro
CM: Miralem Pjanic vs. Toni Kroos
7 of 13
Miralem Pjanic has been largely excellent this season in his debut campaign in Turin. Starting in central midfield, he has helped Juve forget the absence of Paul Pogba in some style.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international is a source of chances on goal, has great delivery from deep or wide and is one of the foremost experts from dead-ball situations at the elite end of European football—and he claimed nine assists in league play this term.
Then there's Toni Kroos, who has just a little bit extra in every one of those departments.
Slightly more key passes per game, 12 assists in La Liga, even better set pieces and one of the most consistent central midfielders in Europe across 16/17.
Kroos' game has been altered slightly of late, with the switch to a 4-3-1-2 moving him somewhat more regularly between the left channel and roving forward into the No. 10 area as he switches with Isco, but it only serves to make the German harder to pin down.
Pjanic 8-9 Kroos
RW/CM: Juan Cuadrado vs. Luka Modric
8 of 13
Here we have the biggest deviation in terms of natural comparisons; Juve are most likely to continue in their 4-2-3-1 system, while Real won't have a clear wide man in their 4-3-1-2.
Luke Modric will play right of the three-man central zone, though, so it's him who we match up to Juan Cuadrado, Juve's rapid outlet winger.
In technical terms and with regard to game intelligence, there's simply no question: Modric all the way. But an intriguing tactical battle in the match means it's Cuadrado who could end up being the most devastating player on the pitch for Juventus.
He has the pace to escape the midfield and go one-on-one against the full-back, stretching play and giving Juve the chance to load the box for crosses. He has to track back in the right areas, though, or else Modric, Kroos and Co. will simply overrun Juventus in the middle third.
Cuadrado 8-9 Modric
AM: Paulo Dybala vs. Isco
9 of 13
Which playmaker will shine the most? Whoever of Paulo Dybala and Isco manages to find the space to work their magic could be critical in helping their team lift the trophy.
On recent form, there's little question: the Spaniard has been unreal over the last two months, dragging Real to victory in both La Liga and Champions League, scoring and assisting with regularity and forcing Zinedine Zidane into a tactical switch to get the best out of him.
Assuming, that is, Zidane doesn't revert to habit of playing the big three when fit, after Gareth Bale was declared ready to play, though not at 100 per cent.
Dybala, though, has already shown himself to be of a higher level; in big games particularly, his ability has come to the fore, and he has helped Juventus score when they have needed him most. Lest Real forget, it was Dybala who had the biggest hand in vanquishing Los Blancos' biggest rivals, Barcelona, earlier on this season.
His movement, natural finishing ability and set-piece threat mean he just edges it overall.
Dybala 9-8 Isco
LW/SS: Mario Mandzukic vs. Cristiano Ronaldo
10 of 13
Whether it's Mario Mandzukic or anyone else, Cristiano Ronaldo would be winning this round for Real Madrid.
While the Croatian has switched to a left-sided role instead of central for Juve, Ronaldo has done the opposite, moving to a centre-forward position in the changed system for Real.
Both will have licence to work the channel and cut inside, both have great aerial threat and both are in their 30s now, but that's about as close to the Ballon d'Or winner as we can put the former Atletico Madrid man.
Ronaldo has had a storming end to the season, is the biggest of big-game personas and will be the most important player on show in the final itself.
Mandzukic 8-10 Ronaldo
CF: Gonzalo Higuain vs. Karim Benzema
11 of 13
Next we find two strikers who were team-mates at Real Madrid in their younger days; Karim Benzema won the battle to stay as the No. 9 for Los Blancos, but Gonzalo Higuain has gone on to become the more feared predator and a €90 million signing for Juve last summer.
Benzema has had the odd big performance this season, but in truth, his all-round game and scoring rate have both been below his best, certainly below what he showed the capability of doing last season on a much more regular basis.
Higuain also has his critics, particularly when it comes to finals, so this is a big chance for both of them to put a definitive stamp on the most meaningful of matches and show they are Europe's deadliest No. 9.
Higuain 9-8 Benzema
Managers: Massimiliano Allegri vs. Zinedine Zidane
12 of 13
Finally, we look at the managers in each camp, but really there's nothing to choose between them.
Sure, Massimiliano Allegri has more experience, and more titles to his name as a result, but Zidane has essentially not put a foot wrong since taking over as Madrid boss.
The Frenchman has won La Liga, the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and this very tournament last season, all in just 16 months. Add a second Champions League to the list and there's a real question to be asked over whether he has had a similar impact for Real as the likes of Luis Enrique or Pep Guardiola did for Barcelona.
Allegri has four league titles to his name in Italy, one for Milan, but he wants the Champions League on his CV after losing in the final two years ago.
Tactically they approach the game differently, with man-management they both appear superb, and it could well come down to in-game management to settle a tight contest.
Allegri 9-9 Zidane
Total Scores
13 of 13
Juventus: 104/120
Real Madrid: 103/120 — or 104 with Carvajal
As if we didn't already know the tie would be a close battle, the head-to-head is virtually inseparable, and much could rest on the fitness of one or two players for Real Madrid.
Will Zidane trust Carvajal's fitness? Will he go with Bale over Isco after a lengthy absence? If not, do Madrid have the edge on the bench with greater impact substitutes?
It will be a fascinating encounter in Wales and an emotional scene whichever team comes out on top, but if the XIs go as predicted, Juventus will at least start the game with the slimmest of edges in their favour.
