Madrid were victorious in Europe's premier continental competition last season and are seeking to become the first team to retain the trophy since Milan in 1990. After advancing from a group containing Borussia Dortmund, Legia Warsaw and Sporting CP, los Blancos beat Napoli, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid to reach their third final in four years; having wrapped up the La Liga title for the first time since 2012, Zinedine Zidane's side are now eyeing a domestic and European double. The former France international deserves great credit for the work he has done at the Bernabeu since taking charge in January 2016, particularly as many thought he was a risky appointment at the time.
Juventus were beaten finalists in the 2015 edition of the Champions League and will be desperate to get their hands on the continent's biggest prize for the third time. Max Allegri's men, who recently sealed their sixth successive Serie A crown - a record in Italy - qualified from a group featuring Sevilla, Lyon and Dinamo Zagreb, before defeating Porto, Barcelona and Monaco in the knockout stage. For a club that has been so dominant in its own domestic league, the Bianconeri will be desperate to improve upon their record in European Cup finals, which currently reads: played eight, lost six. Allegri, meanwhile, has been superb since joining Juventus yet will be equally keen to win his first piece of silverware outside his home country.
Madrid may have to make do without Gareth Bale, who had been hoping to play a starring role in Cardiff, the city where he was born and raised. In truth, the Welshman's lack of fitness may do Zidane a favour: Isco, Bale's replacement, has been brilliant in the last few weeks and deserves his place in the starting XI. The Spaniard's presence in the side allows Cristiano Ronaldo to take up more central positions and encourages left-back Marcelo to push forward and provide attacking width.
Juventus' only injury concern ahead of Saturday's showpiece is Marko Pjaca, who is out with cruciate ligament damage. Allegri has created a team who are comfortable in a number of different formations, with Juve capable of shifting between a back three and a back four - often within the same match. Gonzalo Higuain will be determined to shed his reputation as a player who cannot be relied upon in high-pressure situations, while Miralem Pjanic and Sami Khedira play important roles in the middle of the park. Further back, a defensive axis of Gigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini remains one of the best in world football.
Taking everything into account, it could be worth backing Juventus to beat Real Madrid in Cardiff. Another option would be under 2.5 goals to be scored in total - big matches like this are often tight.
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