Real Madrid: The top 5 matches of the 2010’s

4. Juventus Vs Real Madrid 1:4 (Champions League Final 2017)

Zinedine Zidane’s first full season in charge of Real Madrid and it couldn’t have got any better. Zidane took over Real Madrid midseason in 2016 and led them to a Champions League title against all odds. The Frenchman almost won the league title as well from Barcelona as Real Madrid covered up the 16 point gap with the Catalans to one winning 12 consecutive games in the process.

All of this pointed to Real Madrid having a great season under the Frenchman when he takes the reigns from the start to the end of it. Los Blancos ended up winning the league and the Champions League having their best season of 21st century. It was a memorable season and a nerve-wracking one as well as Real Madrid so many close games and so many late winners, equalizers making it one of the most exciting seasons for a fan.

After winning the league title and having stormed past every European giant in the knockout stages Real Madrid faced a Juventus side who boasted of the best defense in Europe. Real Madrid probably survived through one of the toughest knockout stage opponents that season and too convincingly with Ronaldo scoring five past Bayern over two legs and a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid in the semis.

Real Madrid was an unstoppable force that time and was on a scoring streak while Juventus an immovable object. The media and the odds were poised in favor of the Old Lady due to their mean defense and the history of the competition having no team winning back to back Champions League titles. Real Madrid was prepared for it better more than anything else, Cristiano Ronaldo was at peak fitness during the finals for the first time and the whole team looked in really good shape. There was no better way to cap off a perfect season like this with a Champions League victory on top of it the performance Real Madrid gave in the second half.

Real Madrid took an early lead through Cristiano Ronaldo via a cutback from Dani Carvajal as he did his iconic celebration in front of the Cardiff crowd. There was no better way to describe as the Portuguese did it himself shouting to the cameras “one chance bang!”.

Juventus didn’t take too long to get back in the game as Mario Mandzukic struck an acrobatic goal well beyond the reach of Keylor Navas. Both teams went into the half time break satisfied with their performances. Zidane instructed the team during his half time talk to press the opposition harder, stay together, and press with more intensity. This talk led to the most perfect half of football I have ever witnessed in my life.

Real Madrid dominated Juventus like they were playing against a league 2 side and not a Champions League final. The team counter pressed every time after losing the ball and gave not even a single second to think or time to breathe to the opposition. Real Madrid pinned Juventus into their own half, not providing them any breathing space to even get out or for a second spend a bit of time in Real Madrid’s half. Casemiro’s stunner had already broken Juventus’ mental strength which also came due to the excellent counter-pressing from Real Madrid.

Los Blancos scored two more in that same fashion with Ronaldo winning the golden boot yet again and Marcos Asensio continuing his debut goalscoring streak. There were just beautiful moments everywhere in that stadium with Kiko Casilla celebrating with the electronic board, Ronaldo’s iconic late run into the box to get his second goal and Marcos Asensio celebrating with his family after scoring on his Champions League final debut.