Real Madrid have an “appointment with history” when they face Juventus in the Champions League final in Cardiff on Saturday, says captain Sergio Ramos.<\/p>\n
Eleven-time champions Real are aiming to become the first team since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 to retain the trophy.<\/p>\n
Italian side Juventus are looking to win the crown for the third time, while Real can extend their own record.<\/p>\n
“We never dreamed of this opportunity but the stats are there,” said Spain international defender Ramos.<\/p>\n
“It is a wonderful chance to take the cup home, then history speaks for itself. We are extremely excited about the chance to have two successive Champions League trophies.<\/p>\n
“We have been very solid. Every time we have had the chance to fight for a trophy, we have done that. We are going to be extremely focused, very concentrated so we make as few mistakes as possible.”<\/p>\n
Real Madrid won La Liga ahead of Barcelona this season and have scored 169 goals in all competitions this season.<\/p>\n
In a repeat of the 1998 final, which the Spaniards won 1-0 in Amsterdam, Real come up against a side who are unbeaten in this season’s competition<\/p>\n
Boss Zinedine Zidane, who played for opponents Juventus between 1996 and 2001, said: “We know all about pressure at Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
“We are not favourites, nor are Juventus. It is 50-50. But we are in the final again, and everything is possible. I expect an open game on both sides.<\/p>\n
“I have lived and been at Juventus, in Italy there is the famous Catenaccio, but Juve do not just have that.<\/p>\n
“We are going to try to play our game, we know we are going to play against a great team. What everyone who likes football wants to see is to see a great final – and I think we will see that.”<\/p>\n
Treble-chasing Juventus clinched a record sixth consecutive Serie A title this season and beat Lazio in the Italian Cup.<\/p>\n
Juve have been European Cup winners twice, in 1985 and the last in 1996, but have been defeated finalists on six occasions, most recently against Barcelona two years ago.<\/p>\n
They have conceded just three goals in 12 games so far, while Real have scored in every single one of their 12 games – a total of 32 goals.<\/p>\n
Manager Allegri said: “We have worked hard all year and the wins this season have been all about reaching this game. But on Saturday we need to win and we need to understand when will be the moments to attack and when to defend.<\/p>\n
“We have to have the belief that we can bring the cup home and we have to be fiendish to strike when Real offer us an opening.”<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Real Madrid have an “appointment with history” when they face Juventus in the Champions League final in Cardiff on Saturday, says captain Sergio Ramos. Eleven-time champions Real are aiming to become the first team since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990 to retain the trophy. Italian side Juventus are looking to win the crown for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":324975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[1412,1178],"yoast_head":"\n