Zinédine Zidane, Real Madrid coachI feel extremely happy. It's been a spectacular year. You couldn't dream of anything better. We won the league on the very last day, and it's very difficult to reach the Champions League final two years running – we've done it. We played a great team; the first half was difficult but in the second half we were clearly superior. We pressed a lot more and physically we won the game there too. So I'm very happy.The first half was more even; Juventus came out very strongly and had lots of the ball. In the second half, we were superior. At half-time
Football Update
Champions League final: expert predictions and analysis
Luís Figo, a winner with Real Madrid in 2002Everything is possible in football. Juventus's defensive structure is strong, but Real Madrid's attack is also very dangerous which is why I think the duels will be interesting, and whoever wins more individually will come out on top. I think that it will be an interesting duel pitting two different styles against each other, with two very strong football cultures and great players.Cafu, a winner with Milan in 2007Juventus 2-2 Real Madrid (we didn't find out what happens next!) Christian Karembeu, a two-time winner with MadridUEFA.com - News
Top scorers: Ronaldo needs one to catch Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo's four-year reign as UEFA Champions League season top scorer looked as good as over going into the quarter-finals. But five goals across the two legs against Bayern München and a hat-trick at home to Atlético Madrid in the semi-finals put him right back in contention. He now needs just one in the final against Juventus in Cardiff to match the 11-goal haul of Barcelona's Lionel Messi.2016/17 UEFA Champions League top scorers Ronaldo had mustered two goals from his first eight outings of this continental campaign, and ahead of the quarter-finals he was nine adrift of frontrunner Messi. Yet a
Lyon match Frankfurt’s record
Lyon's second straight penalty shoot-out success in a UEFA Women's Champions League final means they have equalled FFC Frankfurt's record of four European titles.Having already matched Frankfurt's six final appearances by making it to Cardiff, Lyon knew victory would also take them level with the German side on a quartet of wins. Coincidentally, Frankfurt also reached six finals and four wins when they beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 two years ago. Two French teams making the final means they have now totalled eight appearances, overtaking Sweden and behind only Germany's 14. However, despite Lyon's triumph, Germany are still five victories c... UEFA.com -
Ronaldo has ‘fingers crossed’ as he counts down to fifth final
UEFA.com: How has your 14th season in the UEFA Champions League been? How are you looking forward to your third final in four years?Cristiano Ronaldo: It's always special to compete in a Champions League final. I've had the opportunity to do so four times and this will be my fifth, so it's going to be a very special moment. We're going to be up against a great team. We know it's going to be a very difficult match, but we are Real Madrid, which is why we have a good chance of winning. I obviously hope that we win because that would be extraordinary.
Who are the top one-club men in Europe’s top leagues?
After 25 seasons, Francesco Totti made his 786th and final appearance for home-town club Roma on Sunday. It got us thinking: with the 40-year-old bowing out, who are the longest-serving one-club men still playing in Europe's top leagues? Here's what we found ...CriteriaPlayers must have spent their entire senior career with the same club, and must never have played for another team – even on loan. We looked at the top eight leagues according to the UEFA coefficients. Spain: Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona)Seasons: 15, competitive appearances: 624... UEFA.com - News
How to pronounce the finalists’ names correctly
With the UEFA Champions League final on the horizon, UEFA.com gives all you commentators and armchair pundits alike the perfect guide on how to say those tricky names correctly. JUVENTUSThe Italian 'ch' is more like a 'k' for English speakers, whereas the Croatian 'ć' is an English 'ch'. Gonzalo Higuaín's name has three vowels in a row – a red light for English speakers – but can be anglicised elegantly enough. Croatia is just across the Adriatic from Italy, so imagine Marco Pjaca's name as an Italian 'piazza' and you will be pretty much there.