Ronaldo leads Madrid to 12th European title

Ronaldo leads Madrid to 12th European title

Babajide Orevba, Ibitoye Shittu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:48 PM
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Real Madrid have won the 2016/2017 Champions League after a 4 - 1 win over Italian giants Juventus in the final.

Ronaldo produced a man of the match performance and scored two goals in the match that also saw Juan Cuadrado sent off.

FT: Juventus 1 - 4 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Ronaldo was named man of the match in the final
Source: Unknown

Juventus began brightly as Higuain has two quick efforts saved by Navas in goal. The second saw the goalie spill a shot in front of him but there was no one to react to the loose ball.

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Miralem Pjanic was next to test the goalie with a volley from 25 years but Navas was once again alert to save as Juventus dominated the early exchanges.

FT: Juventus 1 - 4 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Higuain was a threat early in the game
Source: Unknown

Madrid scored the opener against the run of play when Ronaldo played a one-two with an over-lapping Dani Carvajal to slot past Buffon.

Juve equalized through Mandzukic who chested a loose ball and sent an over head kick over Navas.

FT: Juventus 1 - 4 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Mandzukic executes his overhead kick in the final
Source: Unknown

The first half ended with Madrid on the up and they continued that trend in the second half as Ronaldo almost found Isco after a mazy run from the left just after the restart.

Madrid would get their lead when Casemiro fired in from distance, the ball taking a huge deflection off Khedira.

READ ALSO: Too Proud? READ what Cristiano Ronaldo said about himself ahead Champions League final against Juventus

Ronaldo added a third three minutes after when Modric robbed Mandzukic off the ball and fed a sprinting Ronaldo who converted at the near post.

FT: Juventus 1 - 4 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Madrid player's celebrate Ronaldo's second of the game
Source: Unknown

Juan Cuadrado, a replacement for the impressive Barzagli got himself sent off after Sergio Ramos over reacted to a shove from the Colombian.

Madrid took the initiative and killed the game when Asencio converted from Marcelo's right wing cross after the Brazilian had left Dabni Alves on the floor.

The win gave Madrid their 12th European title, five ahead of AC Milan who have seven and also Ronaldo's fourth as a player (three with Real, one with Manchester United).

Below is the LIVE update of the Champions League final between Juventus and Real Madrid

FT: Juventus 1 - 4 Real Madrid

Madrid become the first team in Champions League history to win back to back titles

Ronaldo scored the first goal of the game but Mandzukic equalized with an over head kick.

Madrid scored three in the second half as Casemiro then Ronaldo scored two. Asencio scored the fourth and killer after Cuadrado was shown a red card

90' Madrid are just closing out this game now. Juve started strongly but faded off as the game went on

90' GOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Ascenio scores a fourth for Madrid after slotting Marcelo's cross from the left

89' Madrid win a free kick at the edge of the box and Ronaldo takes but its cleared

88' SUBSTITUTION: Morata comes in for Toni Kroos

86' Juventus looked to be getting back into the game until that red card. Shameful from Ramos to act like Cuadrado almost killed him

83' RED CARD! Cuadrado is shown a second yellow card. The Colombian made little contact with Sergio Ramos who made a meal of it

82' CHANCE! Alex Sandro's header from a Dani Alves freekick is past Navas but cannot get into the net

80' WHAT A BLOCK! Bonucci does well to tackle Bale and clear the ball after Ronaldo almost set up the Welsh

78' SUBSTITUTION: Mario Lemina on, Paulo Dybala off...for some reason, Higuain is still on the pitch despite being the worst player for the Italians

76' SUBSTITUTION! Benzema off, Gareth Bale on

75' MILESTONE: Cristiano Ronaldo has now scored 600 goals for club and country.

Real Madrid (406)

Man Utd (118)

Portugal (71)

Sporting CP (5)

73' Opportunity! Benzema does a Messi and takes out three players and feeds Marcelo whose cross from the left is not well connected by Ronaldo

72' YELLOW CARD! Cuadrado, a substitute is shown a yellow card for a foul on Ronaldo

71' SUBSTITUTION: Marchisio in, Pjanic out

70' If Madrid win Zinedane Zidane becomes the first coach ever to win back to back Champions League titles

66' Allegri reacts by bringing in Cuadrado for Barzagli who has been immense tonight

66' YELLOW CARD for Miralem Pjanic for a foul on Casemiro, Madrid on the up on

65' GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!! Ronaldo scores once again, his second in this final. Modric robs Mandzukic of the ball and sends a cross into the box and Ronaldo duly obliges

62' Casemiro's effort took a huge deflection off Khedira

60' GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Casemiro scores with a thunderous effort

59' SHOT! Isco's left footed effort from distance is wide and Buffon is not troubled, Madrid on the up now

58' CHANCE! Marcelo sends an inviting cross into the box but its wide for Ronaldo

55' SHOT! Marcelo gets a chance to shoot from outside the box after a Juve defensive header but his effort is wide

54' SHOT! Effort by Modric from distance saved easily by Buffon

52' YELLOW CARD! Toni Kroos shown a yellow card for a foul on Khedira

48' WHAT A TACKLE! Isco thought he was in behind the Juve backline but Barzagli did well to make a tackle and save the game

47' Ronaldo does well to go behind Barzagli but his cross is snuffed out by Cheillini

46' Second half begins and Real Madrid get us started

HT: Juventus 1 - 1 Real Madrid.... Ronaldo's goal after a one-two with Carvajal is cancelled out by Mario Mandzukic's over head kick which is probably the best goal you will see this season.

Juventus 1-1 Real Madrid HT:

Shots: 8-5

Possession: 47%-53%

Chances created: 4-4

Pass accuracy: 82%-92%

Crosses: 11-6

LIVE: Juventus 1 - 1 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Mandzukic scores his over head kick
Source: Unknown

45' PHOTO!

LIVE: Juventus 1 - 1 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Ronaldo celebrates his goal
Source: Unknown

45' SHOT! Casemiro takes a shot but its just wide

43' Another cross by Carvajal is saved by Buffon who has remained calm in goal

41' YELLOW CARD! Dani Carvajal is shown a yellow card for a foul on Mandzukic who has been on the receiving end of some tough fouls

37' Juventus win a corner, which is swung in by Dybala. Giorgio Chiellini gets between defenders but miscues his header and is promptly penalised for a foul on Sergio Ramos

32' CROSS! Isco's beautiful cross is just passed Ronaldo...what a chance for Madrid missed

31' Funny moment there! Ronaldo tries to do an over head kick after Cheillini's header away but does not connect well

30' Juventus have been the team on top so far. Sergio Ramos fouls Dybala cynically and escapes a yellow card

29' Inside the penalty area, Mandzukic chests down the dropping ball and, without too much room to manoeuvre, sends an overhead kick into the top corner to make it all square. Incredible!

28' GOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Mandzukic scores the equalizer with a tremendous overhead kick...Game on, Higuain with the assist

26' Juventus are looking composed but Real Madrid have a counter but Isco does not make good use of Modric's pass

24' Juventus attack and Pjanic finds himself in the game and before be can pass he was taken out, Higuan will have slotted easily

21' The goal is Ronaldo's 11th in the competition this season, he is level with Messi this season

20' GOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLL! Ronaldo scores with Real's first chance of the game. The Portuguese plays a one-two with Carvajal, dashes into the box and slots past Buffon

19' Ronaldo is fed by Benzema and he runs at defense but before he can fdo anything he is taken out and the danger is snuffed. He begs for a free kick which was never going to be given

18' Casemiro catches Pjanic and escapes a yellow card, Juve play a quick freekick to the big man Mandzukic but the Croatian is quickly swarmed.

17' Juventus looking more comfortable now after those three early chances for Juventus which Keylor Navas did well to handle

16' PHOTO

LIVE: Juventus 0 - 0 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Dani Alves gets the better of compatriot Marcelo
Source: Unknown

15' FOUL! A great ball into the box finds Benzema but the Frenchman uses his hand to cross, moments later, theformer Lyon man's cross from the left is cleared by Chiellini

14' First yellow card of the game goes to Paulo Dybala who had to foul Toni Kroos who was goin on a counter attack

10' Ronaldo gets on the ball on the inside right channel, plays it forward and Juventus clear their lines. They’ve started very brightly.

7' EXCELLENT SAVE! Sandro, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic combine which leads to a poor defensive header from Dani Carvjal drops kindly for Miralem Pjanic, who puts his boot through the ball from about 25 yards out.

Navas however dives to pull off an excellent save. Juve mean business

6' Meanwhile the referee is Felix Brych from Germany

5' SAVE again! Higuain is given another chance to get a shot off, his effort is saved by Navas in goal who spills it but no one is there to follow up. Another missed opportunity for the Italians

LIVE: Juventus 1 - 1 Real Madrid (UCL Final)
Higuain shoots early in the game
Source: Unknown

4' SAVE! Early chance for Juventus, Dani Alves does well to steal possession from Toni Kroos, sends an inviting cross in but Gonzalo Higuain's header is weak

3' Early freekick for Juventus after Modric is fouled by ex-Madrid man Luka Modric

3' If Juventus win the final they become the second team to do the treble after Inter Milan in 2010, if Madrid win Zinedane Zidane becomes the first coach ever to win back to back Champions League titles

2' Juve line up in purple, Juventus in their traditional white and black.

This match is Champions of Spain vs Champions of Italy

1' Kick off....The Italian champions get us started

Real Madrid starting XI:

Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Ronaldo, Benzema.

Juventus starting XI:

Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alves, Alex Sandro, Pjanic, Khedira, Mandzukic, Dybala, Higuain.

Check out the preview of the UEFA Champions League final below;

Real Madrid starting XI:

Keylor Navas, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Isco, Ronaldo, Benzema.

Juventus starting XI:

Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alves, Alex Sandro, Pjanic, Khedira, Mandzukic, Dybala, Higuain.

Spanish champions Real Madrid will face Italian giants Juventus in the final of the 2016/2017 UEFA Champions League tie which will be played in Cardiff on Saturday, June 3, 2017.

Real Madrid who are the holders of the title will want to retain their cup, but they will face a strong Italian side who have only conceded three goals en-route to the final.

Juventus will want to avenge their defeat in the hands of Real Madrid when they lost the 1998 final in Amsterdam, but Allegri's men have lost in the final six times.

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Real Madrid v Juventus
Juventus defender Dani Alves
Source: Unknown

They have won the UEFA Champions League only two times which was in the year 1985 and 1996, while Real Madrid have won all five of their UEFA Champions League finals.

Real Madrid want to become the first side to make a successful Uefa Champions League title defense as they are the fifth reigning champions to return to the final the following season, the most recent being Manchester United in 2009.

Zidane is also attempting to become the first coach to win the Uefa Champions League two years running, while Sergio Ramos is seeking to become the first captain to lift the Uefa Champions League trophy in consecutive seasons.

Real Madrid v Juventus
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
Source: Unknown

Should Madrid triumph in Cardiff, it will be their 10th Uefa Champions League win for a Spanish side, but Juventus are bidding to become the ninth team to win the treble having wrapped up their third successive League and cup double in the just concluded season.

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Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
Ibitoye Shittu photo
Ibitoye Shittu
Editor- Local Desk
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