Juventus 1-4 Real Madrid: Player ratings

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • After a thrilling first-half which saw Cristiano Ronaldo’s excellent finish get completely overshadowed by Mario Mandzukic’s spectacular equaliser for Juventus, Real Madrid blew the Italian side away in the second half to cruise to a 4-1 win in the Champions League final.

    The triumph meant Madrid became the first team to repeat as Champions League winners, and they also completed their first league and European Cup double since 1958.

    Here’s how the players rated in European club football’s showpiece event.

    JUVENTUS

    Gianluigi Buffon 6/10

    Would be disappointed not to have done better with Ronaldo’s opener, deflection or not. Could do little with Madrid’s other three goals.

    Andrea Barzagli 7/10

    One vital tackle denied Isco an almost certain goal and he neutralised Marcelo’s runs forward. Sacrificed as Juve chased the game.

    Leonardo Bonucci 6/10

    Was kept busy by Benzema looking to cut inside and put him onto his left foot. Perhaps guilty of defending too deep for Madrid’s first goal.

    Giorgio Chiellini 5/10

    A force in the air, winning the aerial battle and while he kept Ronaldo quiet outside of the area, the Portuguese outmanouevered him too easily for a defender of his quality.

    Alex Sandro 5/10

    Tried to attack Carvajal and was always a willing attacking option but he lost the Real full-back for the first goal and then was skinned by Modric for the third.

    Miralem Pjanic 5/10

    Set the tempo early on with some clever reverse passing and quick touches but lost his way badly after half-time and was substituted.

    Sami Khedira 6/10

    Solid and dependable in possession but couldn’t live with Modric in the second-half and didn’t provide enough of an option for his teammates as Pjanic faded.

    Dani Alves 5/10

    Never had the space to run at Marcelo nor did he get involved in the overall play enough to trouble Madrid. Was given a license to attack but didn’t take it.

    Paulo Dybala 4/10

    A huge disappointment. Bar one smart back-heel to set up a counter, he struggled with the pace of the game and barely got involved as the encounter passed him by.

    Mario Mandzukic 7/10

    Scored one of the great Champions League goals and was a physical threat in the first 45 minutes, with Juve looking to try and expose Carvajal’s lack of match fitness.

    Gonzalo Higuain 4/10

    Marked out of the game by Varane where his lack of pace was laid bare. Didn’t receive the service, granted, but there wasn’t much of an effort to press or force the issue.

    SUBS

    Juan Cuadrado for Barzagli (66′) 5/10

    Couldn’t provide any zip to Juve’s play. Quickly picked up a yellow card for a rash challenge, and then got a second soon after after a controversial incident with Sergio Ramos. Had the scoreline not already been 3-1, that would have been a much bigger talking point.

    Claudio Marchisio for Pjanic (70′) 6/10

    Always a classy passer but the contest was all but over by the time he came on. Could do little to get Juventus back in the game.

    Mario Lemina for Dybala (77′) 5/10

    Could barely affect the game after coming on. In truth, his substitution was almost a signal that Juventus were throwing in the towel, as by taking Dybala off Juventus withdrew one of the few players they have who can produce a moment of magic.

    REAL MADRID

    Keylor Navas: 6/10

    Made a strong save in the first half but didn’t have an awful lot to do apart from claw at thin air as Mandzukic’s volley drifted over him.

    Dani Carvajal 7/10

    Targeted early on as Sandro and Mandzukic tried to isolate him but stuck to his task and also provided some drive going forward with the assist for Ronaldo’s first.

    Sergio Ramos 7/10

    Varane’s excellence in eliminating any threat from Higuain and Dybala’s anonimity meant he could pass the ball freely from the back with little pressure.

    Rafael Varane 8/10

    A thoroughbred of a defender as his pace meant he could cover the ground to eradicate Juve’s long passing from the back while he was so graceful in possession.

    Marcelo 7/10

    He and Alves ended up cancelling each other out in the first half but he perked up significantly after the break and stretched Juve once Barzagli left the field.

    Casemiro 7/10

    At times he was playing as an auxiliary centre-back and rarely got involved with anything in the atacking half… bar his slightly fortuitous goal. As ever, though, difficult to fault his performance.

    Luka Modric 8/10

    Just never stopped running, both with the ball and without it. The catalyst for Madrid’s resurgence in the second 45 minutes and played a key role in the third goal with a fine tackle, run and cross.

    Toni Kroos 7/10

    Rarely wasted a pass but unlike Modric lacked any energy in trying to find holes in the Juve defence. As ever though his control of possession was crucial.

    Isco 6/10

    His team-mates looked for him early on as he dropped deep as well as joining the front two but couldn’t quite produce the necessary magic.

    Cristiano Ronaldo 8/10

    A textbook modern Ronaldo performance: provided little to Madrid’s overall build-up – bar the 1-2 for Carvajal – but once the ball was around the box he came alive.

    Karim Benzema 7/10

    Other may have provided more attacking impact but the Frenchman was always looking to attack Juve’s defence and used the ball sensibly when he was involved.

    SUBS

    Gareth Bale for Benzema (77′) 6/10

    Given a short run-out in his home stadium, Bale was tidy, although he couldn’t get the goal he so desperately wanted. Would have been gutted to not start the final due to his calf injury.

    Marco Asensio for Isco (82′) 7/10

    Provided the gloss to the scoreline by scoring the fourth goal. It was cruel on Juventus, and especially on Buffon, but it was yet another highlight in Asensio’s short career so far.

    Alvaro Morata for Kroos (89′) N/A

    Recommended