Champions League final: 5 matchups that will determine the winner

Real Madrid and Juventus face off in the Champions League final this Saturday. Here are five key matchups that could decide the result.

As two of European soccer’s true juggernauts, Real Madrid and Juventus, prepare to face each other in the Champions League final, we examine five key matchups that could determine who will end up lifting the trophy Saturday night in Cardiff.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Giorgio Chiellini

This is the matchup Juventus absolutely can’t afford to lose. Keep Cristiano Ronaldo in check, and they’ll be well-positioned to compete against Real Madrid. Easier said than done, obviously, considering the Portuguese needs but a few inches of space or a millisecond delay in man marking to capitalize. However, there may not be a better man to handle the Real Madrid star than legendary Italian hardman Giorgio Chiellini. Widely considered one of the top center-backs in the world, Chiellini possesses the physical tools to stop Ronaldo. Keeping set pieces around the penalty box to a minimum will also be key in containing the Real forward.

2. Marcelo vs. Dani Alves

After years of dueling in Barcelona-Real Madrid derbies, the two Brazilians are set to face each other yet again out on the flank at the highest level of club competition. Although Dani Alves may be getting old, he’s thrived recently in the right midfield/right wing position for Juventus, a position that allows him to run at opposing defenses without being asked to provide the  defensive cover he was expected to bring as a true right-back for Barcelona. Alves scored one of Juventus’ two goals in their semifinal return leg against Monaco. Similarly, Marcelo is known for his offensive prowess by way of his overlapping runs on the left flank and his ability to join in and disrupt opposing defenses with his speed down the flank, as well as his crossing ability. If either player dominates this direct battle it will go a long way toward their team gaining the upper hand.

3. Mario Mandzukic vs. Dani Carvajal        

Following a hamstring injury, Dani Carvajal looks set to return to the starting lineup in his usual right-back position. Carvajal will be going head-to-head with Mario Mandzukic. The two have quite a long and tumultuous history dating back to Mandzukic’s days with Atletico Madrid and their memorable battles in the Madrid derbies, including one episode that left the Croat forward bloodied up.

In the meantime, Mandzukic has shifted from his usual center forward spot to a wider position on the left wing. He has been brilliant as a left winger this season, using his skill on the ball to take defenders on and tactical awareness to make himself available on the offensive side of the ball as well as shutting down passing lanes and providing cover for the left-back Alex Sandro. Mandzukic has become one of the main forces behind Juventus’s European success. If Carvajal is able to neutralize him on Saturday, it may end up being one of the main factors behind Real’s eventual success.

4. Paulo Dybala vs. Casemiro

The rise of Paulo Dybala as one of the most remarkable young creative midfielders in the game has not gone unnoticed. Rumors of the Dybala’s potential next destination are already popping up. If Juventus is to become only the ninth team in club soccer history to win the treble, they will need the young Argentinian midfield maestro to continue to provide the creative spark in the midfield by taking opponents on one-on-one and carving defenses with his majestic vision and passing abilities. To continue dominating the opponents may be a tall order against the physical, yet technically gifted defensive midfielder Casemiro. The Brazilian has been instrumental to Real’s success this season by serving as the anchor behind Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco/Gareth Bale in Zinedine Zidane’s 4-1-4-1/4-3-3. The story line writes itself here, as the Brazilian and the young Argentine will go against one another in the center of the field.

5. Gonzalo Higuain vs. Sergio Ramos

We finish off the key matchups where we started: star forward vs. wily veteran center-back. However, the technicalities of this matchup are vastly different. Higuain is a very different breed of soccer player, almost the complete opposite of Ronaldo — a poacher and an opportunist, who, unlike Ronaldo is, not likely to overwhelm anyone with his physical attributes. Yet his deadly finishing ability makes him one of the most lethal forwards in the game. Sergio Ramos has come to be just as well known for his scoring prowess off set pieces as he is for shutting down opposing forwards. Lacking the tactical discipline and true grit of Chiellini, Ramos has been more distracted and error-prone as he enters his twilight years. On Saturday, Ramos can ill afford any mental lapses.

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Bonus round: Gianluigi Buffon vs. Keylor Navas

We’d be remiss not to mention the duel between the two goalkeepers. This final could be a fairytale ending for Gianluigi Buffon if he is somehow able to win the only major trophy missing from his collection. A World Cup winner for his country and a UEFA Cup winner with Parma very early in his career, Buffon needs this Champions League to be considered the goalkeeping G.O.A.T. Were this game to go into a penalty shootout, the two keepers would become the main protagonists. Navas has had significant success in penalty shootouts, most notable during the 2014 World Cup, when he made three saves for Costa Rica against Greece. On the other side, Buffon has experienced a World Cup shootout win of his own, as Italy’s goalkeeper in the 2006 World Cup final.