Champions League final: 5 things Juventus need to do to beat Real Madrid

Juventus vs Real Madrid Champions League final live stream
Can Juventus win their first Champions League title in 21 years?

After 124 games in the 2016/17 Champions League, the 125th and final game will see Juventus and Real Madrid battle it out for continental supremacy on 3 June at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Looking at their road to the final, it is safe to say that both teams deserve to be there.

Defending champions Real Madrid beat the likes of a highly-fancied Bayern Munich and arch-rivals Atletico Madrid while Juventus shut down a resurgent Barcelona and knocked out dark horses AS Monaco. It promises to be a thrilling encounter dubbed as one of the best attack vs the best defence.

While Real have won the trophy 11 times, Juventus have only won it twice; losing the final on six occasions – most recently in 2015. However, they are undefeated so far in the competition this season. So what does Massimiliano Allegri have to do to ensure that luck favours The Old Lady this time?


1) Juventus should stick with a back-three

Juventus BBC
Bonucci, Chiellini, and Barzagli – Juve’s very own ‘BBC’

Allegri has experimented with various formations in the Champions League this season as the Italian manager picked teams based either on the opposition or the personnel available to him. The most common formations he used were the 3-5-2 or the 4-2-3-1 while he has also used a 3-4-2-1 on a couple of occasions.

Of course, a lot will depend on whether Gareth Bale will be fit to start the game or not. But knowing Zinedine Zidane, he will not make the same mistake he made in El Clasico where Bale hobbled off in the first half, so Isco could be given a start.

That would make Real’s formation narrow in attack with Cristiano Ronaldo effectively playing in the box as a centre-forward alongside Karim Benzema rather than out wide. Isco would most likely drop into a no.10 role and drift right.

Allegri should pick Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, and Giorgio Chiellini in defence (thereby ensuring that at least one of the BBC trios plays the final). It is the ideal formation with wing-backs dropping back to make it a back-five when they are without the ball.

2) Dani Alves should play a purely attacking role

Dani Alves Juventus Champions League
Dani Alves has 3 goals and 4 assists in the Champions League this season

With three at the back (and good ol’ Gianluigi Buffon in goal), it is the wing-backs that could be key to deciding Juve’s destiny in the final. The two Brazilians, Dani Alves and Alex Sandro, have played a huge part in Allegri’s tactics by providing width and the element of surprise by overloading one side without warning.

Alves, in particular, has had a better season in the Champions League than Serie A. He has more goals and assists in Europe than in the league. The former Barcelona man was undoubtedly the star of the semi-finals with two assists and a goal across both legs as Juve beat Monaco 4-1 on aggregate.

Signed for free (a move Barcelona have come to regret), the 34-year-old has brought his Champions League winning pedigree to a team desperate to win their first European title since 1996. And Allegri would do well to ensure one of the finest attacking full-backs of this generation continues to play his normal game.

Also read: 5 world class players Juventus signed on free transfers in recent years

Barzagli will have to step to the right while Sandro drops back into a left-back role when he does to maintain stability at the back. Not only would it give Juventus an extra man in attack but it would also curb his compatriot Marcelo’s attacking instincts, keeping him on a leash in Real’s half and preventing the Real left-back from making inroads into the final third.

3) How should Juventus deal with Toni Kroos?

Toni Kroos Real Madrid Champions League
Toni Kroos has created the most chances in the Champions League this season

94%. That’s the number that should be burned into the minds of Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic. That is the pass accuracy of Toni Kroos in the Champions League this season – the highest for any player that has played at least 10 games.

There’s no doubt that Kroos makes this Real Madrid team tick. The German is the heartbeat and the engine of the midfield and the 27-year-old has also created the most chances this season (31).

While Luka Modric and Casemiro will also be key players in Real’s midfield, it is Kroos that Juventus must keep an eye on. His keen eye for a long ball to bypass the midfield and defence is also something Khedira and Pjanic will have to watch out for.

Asking either Khedira or Pjanic to mark Kroos could expose them in midfield. Real could also easily outnumber Allegri’s side in midfield if Isco plays a central role unless Juve’s forwards drop deep to assist. Besides, Khedira may be tasked with tracking Cristiano Ronaldo.

That is why Paulo Dybala will have to play the game of his life in attack and defence. When Juve do not have the ball, the Argentine forward will have to track back and assist his midfielders. And it will be his job to mark Kroos and prevent him from controlling the game.

4) Use Mario Mandzukic to target Real’s weak spot

Mario Mandzukic header Juventus
Mario Mandzukic’s aerial prowess can trouble Real Madrid

Yet another Champions League winner in the Juventus squad is Mario Mandzukic who won the trophy back in 2013 with Bayern Munich’s treble-winning team. Though he was a pure no.9 at the Bundesliga club, he has been shunted to the left wing at Juve.

Dani Carvajal is a doubt for the final so right-back duties will fall upon the shoulders of Danilo. This is the position Juventus should look to exploit using Mandzukic’s ability to win aerial duels. Among forwards, Mandzukic is in the top five for aerial duels won in the Champions League this season, winning 35 so far.

In contrast, Danilo has barely been called into action to battle in the air. This would mean that Sergio Ramos will have to step in and help him out if Juve send the ball long to the Croatian forward.

That allows someone like Gonzalo Higuain or Paulo Dybala to pounce on the second ball and either take a shot on goal or create chances. Mandzukic also has the ability to hold on to the ball and bring his teammates into play so expect Allegri to order his midfielders to find him since Dybala and Higuain will most probably be marked by Casemiro and one of two centre-backs (Ramos or Raphael Varane).

5) Win the battle of set-pieces

Gianluigi Buffon Juventus set pieces
Juventus must be cautious of Real’s set-piece ability

With two contrasting formations taking on each other, we could see an open game with a number of chances created at both ends. However, both teams do have another ace up their sleeves – dominating set-pieces.

Marking Kroos for 90 minutes is impossible since he also takes corners and free-kicks. On that front, Juve’s defenders will have to latch themselves on to Ronaldo even though he may not be the biggest threat in the box. Ramos loves a late headed goal and Allegri will have seen highlights of his headed goals where his teammates make dummy runs and provide screens to allow Kroos to find Ramos with pinpoint accuracy.

Ronaldo’s free-kick conversion rate may have dropped in recent years but he remains the man for the big occasion and has found the back of the net in the Champions League 10 times this season. It is up to Juve to not concede silly fouls around the box to put Buffon under unnecessary pressure.

Juve have also scored from set-pieces this season (remember Chiellini’s headed goal against Barcelona?) and they will need to make good use of any corner kicks they win. They have the height advantage in the box with their defenders, Khedira and Mandzukic all capable of scoring with a header.

Also read: Cristiano Ronaldo claims Juventus have a 'weak spot' in defence

Quick Links

Edited by Staff Editor