Nissan to lay off thousands of workers as sales drop    Trump picks Susan Wiles as White House chief of staff    Three charged in connection with Liam Payne's death    Israel passes law to deport relatives of attackers, including citizens    Monkey mayhem in South Carolina after 43 primates escape research facility    Russian anti-war teenager faces five years in jail after failed appeal    Uproar in Ghana after president unveils his own statue    BD and INS partner to elevate standards of infusion care in MENAT    Qassim emir launches 52 health projects costing a total of SR456 million    Dubai Design Week launches its 10th edition, celebrating creativity and innovation    Fakeeh Care Group reports 9M-2024 net profit of SR195.3 million, up 49% y-o-y driven by solid revenue growth and robust profitability    GASTAT: Passengers of public transport bus and train soar 176% and 33% respectively in 2023    HRT does not impact life expectancy — UK health body    Liam Payne's body to be flown back to the UK    Arab leaders and heads of state congratulate US President-elect Donald Trump    Neymar suffers muscle tear, out for 4-6 weeks    Suspect arrested for banking fraud totaling SR493 million as Nazaha pursues corruption charges    Al Nassr secures 5-1 victory over Al Ain to edge closer to knockout stage    Al Ahli extends perfect start with 5-1 victory over Al Shorta    Mitrovic's hat-trick leads Al Hilal to 3-0 victory over Esteghlal    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Muted Eid celebrations for millions of Nigerian Muslims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Irresistible force meets immovable object
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 02 - 06 - 2017

Real Madrid's irresistible attack slams into Juventus's seemingly immovable defense Saturday when the free-scoring Spanish aristocrats hope to become the first club to win the Champions League in successive seasons.
Cardiff's iconic Millennium Stadium provides a fitting venue for a mouthwatering final full of delicious sub-plots, one of which could see Welsh wizard Gareth Bale make a triumphant return to the valleys of his birth.
Others include Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon potentially becoming the oldest player to lift the trophy or Real coach Zinedine Zidane, twice a Champions League runner-up with Juve, contriving to break the hearts of those who once idolized him.
Center stage, as he so often is, will be Cristiano Ronaldo, whose lust for goals has taken Los Blancos to within touching distance of a 12th European title after they took their 11th a year ago by beating Atletico Madrid.
Arrigo Sacchi's great Milan side was the last to be crowned European champion for a second year running in 1990, but since the competition morphed into the Champions League that feat has proved beyond even the most expensively assembled teams.
Real, crowned La Liga champion for the first time since 2012 last week, is the favorite after banging in 32 goals in 12 games in the competition this season.
Ronaldo has scored 10 of them, and two more in the final would see him move above Barcelona's Lionel Messi to top this season's Champions League scoring chart.
The irrepressible Portuguese is the only player to have scored more than 100 goals in the competition.
But he still appears to want more.
"Too much humility isn't good. We have to prove our character and who is the best," Ronaldo said this week as he eyed a third Champions League triumph with Real to add to the one he secured with Manchester United in 2008.
"The final is won by scoring goals. I have the feeling that we are going to play a great game and we are going to win."
He is not wrong about the goals: No Champions League final has ended goalless since Milan beat Juve on penalties in 2003.
Yet while Ronaldo's infectious confidence will sweep through Zidane's side, Serie A title winner Juventus is unbeaten in Europe this season and is going to its second final in three years having conceded only three goals.
Only Arsenal, in 2005-06, reached the final in more miserly fashion, conceding two goals before falling at the final hurdle against Barcelona.
No wonder Buffon, aged 39, looks like he could play forever, such is the strength of the defense Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri has erected and which Barcelona's Gerard Pique described as a "mountain" after their quarterfinal loss.
A 2006 World Cup winner with Italy, for whom he remains first-choice keeper, Juve's grand old man Buffon craves a Champions League medal to add to his glittering array of silverware after twice suffering heartache in the final.
"If I'd already won the Champions League I'd be drained," he said in a recent interview.
"The fact that I'm still to win it pushes me on."
While Buffon bleeds black and white stripes, teammates Sami Khedira and Gonzalo Higuain once played for Real.
Khedira conquered Europe with Real in 2014 but never really cut it at the Bernabeu, while Higuain, despite scoring more than 100 goals for the club, is still looking for a Champions League medal.
They will be spurred on by facing their old club while former Barca full back Dani Alves, will not want for motivation as they seek to end Juve's 21-year wait for the title.
Sadly for Bale, his role in this fairytale final looks like being of the cameo variety as he has yet to fully recover from the ankle ligament injury he incurred in November.
Livewire Isco is likely to get the nod in Zidane's starting line-up, but if the scriptwriters get their way, the local boy will come off the bench to spark a fiesta the likes of which Cardiff has never seen before. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.