Once against, Real Madrid has demonstrated it is the biggest and number one football club in the world. The spanish giant draws the curtain on the European football season by successfully defending the UEFA Champions League title winning ‘La Duodecima’, the 12 in the defeat of the Old Lady of Turin, Juventus 4-1 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
The loss denied Juventus of the opportunity to become the 9th team to complete the treble of winning the domestic league, cup and the European Cup. Real becomes first team since Milan in 1990 to retain the trophy, the 12th win in 15 appearances in the final. Real Madrid has beaten teams from Yugoslavia (1), France and Germany (2), Spain (3), and Italy (4).
Juventus become the third team after Stade de Reims and Atletico Madrid to lose in two finals to Real Madrid. The only three teams to beat Real in a European Cup final have been Benfica (1962), Inter (1964), and Liverpool (1981).
It was another disappointment for Juventus with seven losses in nine European Final appearances. Juventus’ last win came in 1996 but the Italian team has finished second best in 1973, 1983, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2015 and 2017 to Ajax, Hamburg, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Milan, Barcelona and again Real Madrid. Seven losses are two more than any other team and the five straight losses equal the record of Benfica between 1963 and 1990.
It seems Juventus and Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon,39, is destined not to win Champions League, this marks the third time he will be on the losing side in the final.
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in three Champions League Finals although he is still behind the record of 5 set by Alfredo di Stefano in European Cup Finals between 1956 and 1960. Ronaldo has been on the winning side in four Champions League Finals – one with Manchester United in 2008 and the other three over the last four seasons with Real Madrid.
Ronaldo joins Clarence Seedorf, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi who all picked up winner’s medals four times. Former Real Madrid great Francisco Gento collected six European Cup winners medals during Real Madrid’s first great era between 1956 and 1966. Seven other players who were teammates of Gento won five times along with the Milan pair of Costacurta and Maldini.
Zinedine Zidane’s managerial career is definitely something to be envy as he becomes the first manager since Arrigo Sacchi in 1990 to retain the trophy and after less two full seasons in charge he is just one behind the legendary Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti who each won the trophy three times. Sixteen other managers have lifted the trophy twice. Zidane took over Real’s coaching in January 2016, helping the team to two wins in the Champions League and this season’s La Liga title. His overall record – 87 games, 66 wins, 14 draws, 7 losses with 250 goals scored and 94 conceded.
The Money.
The difference in prize money between the Champions League winner and runner up is relatively small with Real Madrid picking up an extra $5m on the $12.5m awarded to Juventus. With qualifying and performance bonuses Real Madrid will collect around $61.3m based on lifting the title while Juventus will receive close to $57.3m.
On top of prize money, each team receives an allocation from the market pool. The market pool is based on the domestic TV contracts in each country and this where Juventus wins out over Real Madrid. The Champions and Europa League contracts in Italy are substantial more lucrative than in Spain. This means that Juventus will actually pocket more from being runners-up than Real Madrid will from winning the Champions League.
Real Madrid will receive an additional $30m or so from the market pool distribution; Juventus close to $60m. In total Real Madrid will receive $91.3m while Juventus will blow through $100m and will set a new high for Champions League participation at $117m.
Last season Manchester City, although beaten semi-finalists, received more than any other team with a cheque for $94.6m.
