With Juventus on the verge of winning their first treble, Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has hinted that he feels this Bianconeri are the best ever to wear the famous black and white stripes.
Having already won an unprecedented sixth consecutive Serie A title, victory over Real would cement this period as one of the most successful in the club’s history.
“Juventus are not just a defensive side,” Zidane told the press in Cardiff, “their game is not only that, they attack well too and have very good offensive players. Juve always have great teams, and maybe they are better now than they were in the past.”
Zidane having won the Champions League just once as a player, and though he is regarded as one of the best ever, he still doesn’t feel he would outshine Cristiano Ronaldo if the two were in the same side.
“Cristiano is a good guy, he gets worried about the other players. What matters is what he does professionally, he wants to win more and more, he is never satisfied. It is his main contribution to the team.
“If we had played together, the star of the team would have been Ronaldo, because he is the one who scores goals.”
Despite going into the final as favourites, Zidane doesn’t feel there is any extra pressure on his players.
“We are ready and well prepared for the game,” he went on. “We have worked hard to get here, and have a good mindset.
“There is no pressure on us, we live with this kind of pressure all the time. You know what this club is like, we always say we are the favorites, we know it’s another final, it’s a winner takes all match and anything can happen. We are the favorites, and will try to do everything possible to win.
“If you told me I would have experienced these experiences, I wouldn’t have believed you. I’m enjoying it, me and my players. It’s an amazing experience.
“I’ve lost so much as a player, both teams are playing the same game. We are up against a brilliant side, we all want to see a good final and that’s it.”
One talking point which Zidane didn’t address was the prospect of Gareth Bale playing the game given it is in his home country, Wales.
“The hardest thing for me is choosing the team,” he added. “There are six players who won’t even be in the team. It is part of my job and I will do it with a clear conscience. The are all in the same boat.
“I won’t tell you who will play. Last week I said there are two players who can play together. They are all ready for the final, not just from a mental point of view, but also from a physical one.
“The motivation for the players came at the start of the season, when we get to the end of the campaign everyone should already have it. We will be changing anything we have done until today.”
