Champions League final 2017

Football: Real Madrid, Juventus fans in Singapore gear up for rousing finale

Unstoppable force will meet an immovable object with the showpiece game finely poised

Real Madrid (left) and Juventus fans squaring off at the Sahara Bar & Restaurant, the venue where local Juve supporters will congregate to watch the Champions League final tonight.
Real Madrid (left) and Juventus fans squaring off at the Sahara Bar & Restaurant, the venue where local Juve supporters will congregate to watch the Champions League final tonight. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN

Having a bench full of quality game changers will prove to be the winning edge in this year's Champions League final in Cardiff, according to Real Madrid fans in Singapore.

The Galacticos are aiming to become the first team to win back-to-back Champions League titles, and the first to do so under the current Champions League format, but their task will not be easy against a resolute Juventus side who are the only unbeaten team in this year's competition.

Real fan Leroy Goh will invite his friends over to his place to catch the highly anticipated game in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

The 27-year-old financial consultant said: "Over the previous seasons, we saw that Real Madrid always had a good team but they couldn't gel together.

"Finally they have a complete look to them.

"This is probably the best Real Madrid team, considering their squad depth and seeing that their bench has about four players who can come in and change the game, it's just crazy."

Ruben J. Garcia, a Real supporter and manager at Spanish restaurant La Ventana, believes that having one of the best players in the world will mean an added advantage.

  • WHERE TO CATCH THE ACTION

  • WITH JUVENTUS FANS

    • Sahara Bar & Restaurant, 58 Boat Quay


    WITH REAL MADRID FANS

    • Our Tampines Hub, Festive Plaza

    • Cafe Football, 48 Woodleigh Park (reservations required)

"If there is a chance, Cristiano Ronaldo will definitely score and there is also a possibility of him being the Man of the Match," said Garcia.

The final has been billed as the world's most powerful attack facing the strongest defence.

Juventus have conceded only three goals in 12 Champions League games this season, while Real have scored in every one of their 12 games with 32 goals plundered.

Director of information technology firm Pro-Data Group in Asia, Ben Brenner, who comes from Lugano - a Swiss-Italian area - is confident that Juventus are impregnable.

The lifelong Juventus supporter said: "The three defenders, (Leonardo) Bonucci, (Andrea) Barzagli, and (Giorgio) Chiellini comprise the strongest defence available.

"Chiellini is a tower and I am pretty sure that Madrid won't do any damage."

But the Juventus fans will not get too far ahead of themselves.

Jarrod Yeo, secretary of Juventus fan club Singapore said: "We've had a number of disappointments from the last few attempts against Barcelona (2015) and Milan (2003).

"We would only celebrate once we win it, and this time I really hope we have something to celebrate about."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 03, 2017, with the headline Football: Real Madrid, Juventus fans in Singapore gear up for rousing finale . Subscribe