Weak link: 1 area each where Real Madrid, Juventus can be exploited

Juventus and Real Madrid find themselves in Cardiff because they are, simply, the best two teams in Europe this season. But even the very best sides have flaws that can be exploited. Here, we look at one area where each club has shown some vulnerability on the campaign.

Juventus: Surprising trouble defending crosses

For a side boasting a grizzled Italian backbone of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli and, of course, Gianluigi Buffon, you wouldn't think aerial balls into the penalty area would prove such a problem.

And yet, despite Juventus' defensive prowess all season, crosses have given Massimiliano Allegri's side some headaches.

It's a small sample considering the Bianconeri have conceded just three times in the tournament this season, but two of those tallies came from an inability to deal with crosses; Lyon's Corentin Tolisso nodded home from a free-kick after finding himself all alone inside the penalty area, while Nico Pareja's volley for Sevilla found the net after Juve twice failed to effectively clear crosses that were whipped into the box.

Indeed, even Monaco's Kylian Mbappe had a pair of dangerous opportunities in the opening leg of the semi-final after finding space inside the box and getting onto the end of crosses. One header was directed straight at Buffon, while the veteran shot-stopper also turned aside a side-footed volley from the teenage sensation.

Real Madrid's proficiency from set pieces is no secret - particularly late in matches. Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and, if he's fit to play, Gareth Bale can all soar and defy physics by hanging in the air.

The three salmon-like leapers have combined to score 18 headed goals this season between La Liga and the Champions League; the Portuguese has eight such tallies to his name, while seven of the Spaniard's eight goals this season in those two competitions have come via his cranium.

The task facing Juventus is massive.

Real Madrid: Impulsive decision-making

It's difficult to pick holes in a team so loaded with superstars - sheer talent can compensate for almost any deficiency - but if there's one area where Real Madrid could get into trouble, it's the sometimes impulsive decision-making that has crept into Los Blancos' game at times this season. On multiple fronts.

Ramos, excellent as he is, has made a habit of playing on the edge, and the stately Spaniard is no stranger to going over it, as his history of being sent off suggests. Casemiro, who will have the difficult task of locking down the tricky Paulo Dybala, was lucky to stay on the pitch in the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, and will need to showcase extreme discipline to halt the little Argentine without being sent to an early shower; only Neymar (32) has suffered more fouls in the Champions League this season than Dybala's 28.

But discipline means more than just staying out of referee Felix Brych's notebook.

Los Blancos needs to exhibit tactical discipline that has deserted them at points this season, most notably in the exhilarating 3-2 loss to Barcelona in this season's final edition of El Clasico.

Without needing to push forward and go for the win in the waning moments with the contest knotted at two apiece - a draw, given the circumstances at the time, would have perfectly fine - Madrid launched men up the pitch, and was made to pay for that recklessness when Lionel Messi scored a last-minute winner on the counter-attack.

Zinedine Zidane will surely have his men well-drilled ahead of Saturday's contest, and for a side with vast experience in matches of this magnitude, you wouldn't expect to see such an error in judgement once again.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)