Real Madrid crush Juventus to retain Champions League

 
 
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos lifts the trophy after Real Madrid won the UEFA Champions League final football match between Juventus and Real Madrid at The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, south Wales, on June 3, 2017.
Real Madrid beat Juventus 4-1 to win Champions League.  Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid crushed Juventus 4-1 in Cardiff on Saturday to become the first team to retain the European Cup in the Champions League era.
The Portugal superstar’s opener was cancelled out by an astonishing Mario Mandzukic strike, but goals from Casemiro, Ronaldo and Marco Asensio secured Madrid’s third Champions League triumph in four years and 12th in total.
Real Madrid's Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo falls to his knees as he celebrates their victory on the final whistle of the UEFA Champions League final football match between Juventus and Real Madrid at The Principality Stadium in Cardiff, south Wales, on June 3, 2017.

Now a four-time Champions League winner, Ronaldo finished as the competition’s top scorer for the fifth season running, substantially enhancing his chances of matching eternal rival Lionel Messi’s tally of five Ballons d’Or.
Zinedine Zidane, a head coach for only 17 months, became the first manager to oversee back-to-back European Cup successes since Arrigo Sacchi’s fabled AC Milan team won the tournament in 1989 and 1990.
It crowns a glorious season for Madrid, who have pulled off a La Liga and European Cup double for the first time since 1958, having also won the Club World Cup and European Super Cup.
Zidane’s triumph was his former club Juve’s misery, Massimiliano Allegri’s side crashing to a fifth successive defeat in Champions League finals and seventh in total, extending their own desperately unwanted record.
The first Champions League final to be played beneath a closed roof saw Juve hit their heads against a familiar ceiling as they missed out on a chance to complete the first Treble in their history.
The Italian champions also had substitute Juan Cuadrado sent off after he was shown a second yellow card for a gentle push on Sergio Ramos that drew a comical overreaction from the Madrid skipper.
Kick-off at the Principality Stadium was delayed by two minutes due to an elaborate pre-match ceremony involving American pop act the Black Eyed Peas and when play got under way, Juve settled first.
Gonzalo Higuain worked Keylor Navas twice, while Miralem Pjanic’s snappy half-volley forced the Madrid goalkeeper to produce a smart one-handed save.
Madrid drew first blood in the 20th minute when Ronaldo flicked the ball wide to Dani Carvajal before artfully sweeping the Spaniard’s return pass into the bottom-left corner via a nick off Leonardo Bonucci.
Mandzukic masterpiece 
It was a fine strike, and it made Ronaldo the first player to have scored in three finals in the Champions League era, but it was cancelled out by Mandzukic’s masterpiece, one of the great European Cup final goals.
Bonucci’s flighted pass from deep was volleyed into the box by Alex Sandro and Higuain chested the ball down before teeing it up for Mandzukic.
The Croatian forward took a touch with his chest and then, as he fell, hooked a sublime volley over Navas’s despairing dive and beneath the crossbar.
After the break it was Zidane’s men who set the tempo.
Luka Modric had a 25-yard effort caught by Gianluigi Buffon and Marcelo narrowly failed to pick out Ronaldo with a cross from the left before Casemiro put Madrid ahead in the 61st minute.
A loose ball broke to him on the edge of the box and the Brazilian midfielder unleashed a right-foot shot that flicked off the heels of Madrid old boy Sami Khedira before spinning past the helpless Buffon.
Three minutes later it was game over as Ronaldo netted his 12th goal in the tournament, moving a goal clear of Messi.
Modric sped to the byline on the right and crossed and Ronaldo darted ahead of Bonucci at the near post to guide a shot past Buffon.
Cardiff native Gareth Bale made an appearance as a late replacement for Karim Benzema, having been out since April 23 with a calf injury.
Alex Sandro headed wide from a Dani Alves free-kick, but Juve’s fire went out when Cuadrado was given his marching orders and substitute Asensio added to their grief with a late tap-in from Marcelo’s cut-back.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cahill to miss semi-final after kidney stone treatment

Image
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has revealed Gary Cahill is set to miss Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham after being treated for a small stone in his kidney. Cahill was admitted to hospital on Tuesday after training and the England centre-back had tests and treatment before being released on Thursday. With the Premier League leaders due to play their London rivals at Wembley this weekend, Conte fears it is too soon for the England international to return to action. “He arrived at the training ground with a bit of fever,” Conte told reporters on Friday. “Our doctor preferred to bring him to the hospital and to check his condition. “Not a serious problem, but now Gary is getting better and is improving a lot. “If you ask me for tomorrow, my answer is it is very difficult. This period is not a lucky period for us.” Tottenham are four points behind the Blues at the Premier League summit with six games remaining after Chelsea’s loss at Manchester United last Sund...
Keep reading

Nigerian Actress Tonto Dikeh celebrate's her birthday today

Image
She posted on her Instagram page: so many amazing years have come and gone and like the old saying, "how time flies?'; My story so far has been that of the pure grace of God, from that little girl walking the streets of Port harcourt to this young amazing beautiful woman exuding divine essence and Grace; My tales aren't complete without thanking God for the gift of life and adding another year to me today, my songs will be complete by saying thank you my Lord; Through the battles, through the storms, through the shallow and high waters l've remained steadfast knowing that I have the strength of a Lion; My name is KING Tonto Dikeh, l'm not like roses and flowers that blossom for a while and when the sun comes out they all whither and die, l'm still here standing tall and will keep standing till the end of time; I also celebrate my son King, my friends, family and my very supportive fans for the beautiful words always, yes it's my day however l...
Keep reading

Ambode tasks civil servants on transparency, simplified processes

Image
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has charged the state civil servants to be transparent on government activities, finances and a simplified bureaucratic process for its citizens. He also urged the civil servants to comply with global best practices to meet the needs of the people.Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke made the remarks while speaking on global best practice with journalists in Lagos. He pointed out that the state had embarked on massive training sessions for workers on how to deliver value per excellence through global best practices.He called on the workers to provide citizens with the information they need on how to process their requests and stressed that this would enable the citizens to complete their transactions and processes on time. The governor also tasked workers to exhibit good interpersonal relationship in the discharge of their responsib...
Keep reading