European giants Real Madrid and Juventus are set to host the 2016-17 Champions League final in Cardiff on June 3, with two giants of the global game coming to blows in world football’s undoubted club highlight.
Domestic champions of Spain and Italy respectively, the teams set to contest the showcase at the Millennium Stadium next month are worthy finalists.
In what should be an eagerly contested and tight affair, if you are placing a bet on the game there is a need to find the best bookmaker for you with the most favourable odds.
Madrid will enter the game as slight favourites at odds of 13/8 due to the influence that Zinedine Zidane has had over the Spanish capital city club in the last 12 months.
The French coach has the entire Los Blancos team playing cohesively, with world-class stars in the final third ready to win the competition for the La Liga side.
Juventus should not be written off at odds of 2/1 however, with Max Allegri’s men already knocking Barcelona out of the running in the quarter-finals.
The Bianconeri boast world football’s most-tenacious defence, with the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci keeping Lionel Messi and Barcelona scoreless for 180 minutes.
To bet on Juventus recording another amazing clean sheet, look for odds of around 9/4.
However, the difference in this Juventus team to those that have tried to become European champions in the recent past is a real ability to score at the other end of the pitch.
Paulo Dybala is a global superstar in the making and continues to be the Turin outfit’s talisman in attacking areas.
The Argentina international is at odds of 6/1 to score the first goal in Cardiff, while team-mate, and former Madrid striker, Gonzalo Higuain, is at 5/1.
There are few prizes for guessing who the favourite to hit the back of the net first is, with Ballon d’Or holder and Madrid sensation Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way at 4/1.
However, those looking at players paying longer odds would be shrewd not to go past Sergio Ramos, who has scored in two previous Champions League finals and comes in at 20/1.
If Juventus are to win, there is every chance that the Italian side could dig in for the long haul and take the game past the regular 90 minutes.
For the Bianconeri to win the game on penalties with the score deadlocked after 120 minutes, odds of 10/1 look enticing.
The game should be a celebration of all things that are good about football – two historic clubs steeped in prestige, world-class players and the biggest stage; enjoy.
