Real Madrid became the first team to defend the trophy in the Champions League era when they beat Juventus in Cardiff last June, and they are looking to make it three in a row on Saturday.
Here, we look at how the holders reached Ukraine.
Real Madrid 3 Apoel Nicosia 0 (Champions League group stage, September 13 2017)
Cristiano Ronaldo, despite serving a domestic ban for pushing a referee, got in the goalscoring groove to score twice in a regulation win over Cypriot side Apoel.
Ronaldo got off the mark in the Champions League on Matchday 1.
Borussia Dortmund 1 Real Madrid 3 (Champions League group stage, September 26 2017)
Ronaldo bagged another brace as Real outclassed a Dortmund team who were enduring a slow start in the Bundesliga. Gareth Bale had opened the scoring with a volley.
Bale’s stunning goal gave Madrid the edge in Germany.
Real Madrid 1 Tottenham 1 (Champions League group stage, October 17 2017)
Raphael Varane’s own goal and a stunning save from Hugo Lloris meant Real did not get their own way on this occasion. However, a point was preserved as Harry Kane missed a late chance to sink the Spaniards.
Ronaldo and Kane saw their sides play out a 1-1 draw in Madrid.
Tottenham 3 Real Madrid 1 (Champions League group stage, November 1 2017)
Dele Alli scored twice in a Wembley demolition of Real, Christian Eriksen confirming Tottenham’s progression to the knockout stage while Real were forced to wait a little longer to qualify.
Madrid were blown away by an excellent Spurs display.
Apoel Nicosia 0 Real Madrid 6 (Champions League group stage, November 21 2017)
Ronaldo dispelled any doubts Real fans had that their team would book a place in the last 16 by setting another Champions League record during this comprehensive victory in Nicosia. The Portuguese notched twice to reach 18 goals in the competition in 2017 – more than any other player in a calendar year.
Ronaldo helped Madrid put Apoel to the sword.
Real Madrid 3 Borussia Dortmund 2 (Champions League group stage, December 6 2017)
Another record was broken by Ronaldo as he became the first player to score in every Champions League group-stage match. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was on target twice, a month before leaving Dortmund for Arsenal.
Ronaldo made history with his goal against Dortmund.
Real Madrid 3 Paris St Germain 1 (Champions League last 16, February 14 2018)
Paris St Germain had high hopes of going all the way in this year’s competition but Real burst their bubble with a come-from-behind victory at the Bernabeu, Ronaldo among the scorers once again.
Madrid came from behind to take a commanding lead over PSG.
Paris St Germain 1 Real Madrid 2 (Champions League last 16, March 6 2018)
Ronaldo’s 12th goal of the European campaign and Casemiro’s late strike ended PSG’s hopes off pulling off a comeback.
Ronaldo and company completed their knockout job of PSG in the second leg.
Juventus 0 Real Madrid 3 (Champions League quarter-final, April 3 2018)
A brilliant overhead kick led to yet another Ronaldo goal, his second of two in Turin, as Real took a commanding lead in their two-legged tie against the Serie A leaders.
Ronaldo’s stunning overhead kick gave Madrid a seemingly insurmountable lead…
Real Madrid 1 Juventus 3 (Champions League quarter-final, April 11 2018)
Juve threatened to finally derail the Real juggernaut by surprisingly erasing their three-goal lead, but a controversial end to the game saw the Madrid club awarded a penalty right at the death. Veteran Juve goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was sent off for his angry protests in the face of English referee Michael Oliver before Ronaldo converted the spot-kick to swerve the prospect of extra time.
…but he had to rescue his side in the second leg with this last-gasp penalty.
Bayern Munich 1 Real Madrid 2 (Champions League semi-final, April 25 2018)
Ronaldo was absent from the scoresheet as Marcelo and substitute Marco Asensio struck in response to Joshua Kimmich’s opener.
Marcelo made up for a defensive error with a match-turning goal.
Real Madrid 2 Bayern Munich 2 (Champions League semi-final, May 1 2018)
Sven Ulreich’s blunder helped Real get over the line and reach the Kiev final. The Bayern goalkeeper missed a back-pass to allow Karim Benzema to pounce for the second goal of his brace, while efforts from Kimmich and Real loanee James Rodriguez were not enough to deny Los Blancos their third appearance in the Champions League final in four years.
Madrid survived a tense second leg against Bayern to reach the final.
