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Will Real Madrid have enough firepower upfront to beat Gianluigi Buffon and his defense? Will Higuain be decisive against his former team? Those are the main questions about the attackers involved in Saturday's Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Juventus (20:45 CET).
Los Blancos usually score at will while Juventus have a very strong defensive line. Meanwhile, Dybala and Higuain are very dangerous through counterattacks, that being Juve's main weapon when they don't control the tempo of the game.
The duels
Ronaldo and Benzema against Chiellini, Barzagli and Bonucci. Dybala and Higuain against Ramos and Varane. Those two battles could decide the outcome fo the game, although it's clear that the midfielders will play an even more important role in the Final.
Benzema and Ronaldo have been playing together for the past nine seasons and form a very interesting and versatile pair of attackers. Benzema is usually the facilitator and Ronaldo the finisher, with the French striker helping the midfielders with the possession of the ball as well. The problem for Real Madrid is that Ronaldo will probably have a tough time finding room to operate against Juventus' three central-defenders, so if Zidane decides to start Isco in the midfield as initially expected, Real's coach might need to use Gareth Bale during the second half in order to create more chances.
On Juventus' side, Dybala likes to be the link between the midfielders and Higuain but he can also finish and has an impressive touch even without much space. Higuain has been the opposite of clutch throughout his career but he has completed a brilliant debut season with Juventus, so Ramos and Varane need to be very careful with him.
Managing Madrid's verdict
Real Madrid should have the advantage here but it's true that it won't be easy for Los Blancos to create chances against Juventus' defenders. However, Madrid's attacking line is more talented than Juve's and that should ultimately help Zinedine Zidane's cause.
How to watch Real Madrid vs Juventus, 2017 Champions League Final
Kick-off time: 20:45 CET, 02:45pm EST, Saturday June 3rd.
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales.
Available TV: FOX (USA), BeIN Sports (Spain).
Available streaming: FOX (USA), Fubo.TV (EVERY Real Madrid game with a high-quality and legal stream, click here to sign up and benefit from a huge offer for new members and Managing Madrid readers).