Tale of the Tape: Real Madrid vs. Juventus in the Champions League final

Spanish giant Real Madrid aims for history, while Juventus is out to make some of its own in a Champions League final full of enticing storylines.

Real Madrid and Juventus have booked their tickets for a June 3 date in Cardiff, where they'll duel for the 2016-17 Champions League title.

Real Madrid survived a spirited comeback attempt by Atletico Madrid to return to the final stage, while Juventus coasted by Monaco to secure its place, and the two powers will square off in Wales, where there is an abundance of storylines in play.

Here's a closer look at a star-studded final matchup, one that should provide plenty of entertainment to cap the European season:

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1998

The two sides met in the 1998 final, where Real Madrid prevailed thanks to Predrag Mijatovic's 66th-minute strike in Amsterdam.

That marked the end of a three-year run in which Juventus had reached the final, and the club has only appeared on the grand stage twice since, losing both times. 

For Real Madrid that title was its seventh, and it's gone on to win four more since without losing in the final once. Oddly, it's only beaten one non-Spanish team for the last four titles, that being Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

REAL MADRID SEEKS HISTORY

No team has repeated as European champion since AC Milan, which accomplished the feat in 1989 and 1990. After capturing its record 11th title last season, Real Madrid is in position to set the new standard in the competition and do what no team in the last 27 years has been able to accomplish, despite some legendary title-winning squads trying their best.

Influential Dani Alves helps worthy Juventus punch Champions League final ticket

BBC vs. BBC

The final could come down to which BBC line is more impactful. The Real Madrid trio of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will match up against the stout Juventus defensive trio of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. Bale's calf health, of course, could throw the storyline out the window should he be unable to play (which would be a shame for him given the final is in his native land), but a strength vs. strength comparison could not be more stark, obvious–and made for headline writing.

BATTLE OF THE YOUNG MANAGERS

Both managers are younger than 50. Real Madrid's Zinedine Zidane, at the ripe age of 44, is eyeing his second Champions League title as a manager after winning one as a player, while Juventus's Max Allegri, at 49, seeks his first piece of European silverware. For Zidane, winning again would come at the expense of one of his former clubs. He starred for Juventus from 1996-2001 before seeing out his playing days at Real Madrid.

Soccer Managers: When they were players

Antonio Conte, Chelsea

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Antonio Conte celebrates a goal for Juventus against Rangers in the Champions League in 1995.

Carlo Ancelotti, Bayern Munich

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AC Milan's Carlo Ancelotti, right, goes head-to-head with Napoli's Diego Maradona when both played in Italy in October 1990.

Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid

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Argentina's Diego Simeone shakes hands with England's David Beckham after their match at the 2002 World Cup, four years after Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Simeone.

Diego Simeone, Atletico Madrid

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Diego Simeone celebrates scoring a goal for Lazio against Vicenza in a Serie A match in April 2001.

Jurgen Klinsmann, U.S. men's national team

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Jurgen Klinsmann celebrates after scoring Germany's lone goal in a 1-0 win over Bolivia in a 1994 World Cup match in Chicago.

Jurgen Klinsmann, U.S. men's national team

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Jurgen Klinsmann celebrates after scoring the first Stuttgart goal in the 1989 UEFA Cup final second leg against Napoli in May 1989.

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool

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Jurgen Klopp, right, makes a play on the ball while playing for Mainz against St. Pauli in 1999.

Luis Enrique, Barcelona

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Luis Enrique scores for Barcelona against Arsenal in the group stage of the Champions League in October 1999 at Wembley Stadium.

Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham

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Argentina's Mauricio Pochettino takes down Engand's Ashley Cole in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup in Japan.

Joachim Low, Germany

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Joachim Low, playing for Karlsruher against Werder Bremen in a November 1984 Bundesliga match.

Patrick Vieira, New York City FC

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While starring at Arsenal, Patrick Vieira goes head-to-head with a young Cristiano Ronaldo in the Gunners' win over Manchester United in the 2005 FA Cup final.

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City

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Pep Guardiola mans the midfield for Barcelona in a February 2001 match against Athletic Bilbao.

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City; Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid

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Pep Guardiola stands side-by-side with Zinedine Zidane in a Euro 2000 quarterfinal between Spain and France.

Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid

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Zinedine Zidane escapes away from Michael Ballack in Real Madrid's 2002 Champions League final triumph over Bayer Leverkusen, in which Zidane scored the winning goal.

Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid

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Zinedine Zidane led the European All-Stars, while Brazil's Ronaldo led the World All-Stars in a star-studded match in France prior to the 1998 World Cup draw.

Didier Deschamps, France

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Didier Deschamps lifts the Champions League trophy with Marseille after captaining the squad to a triumph over AC Milan in 1993.

Ronald Koeman, Everton

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Ronald Koeman, front, celebrates after scoring the winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final for Barcelona against Sampdoria at Wembley Stadium.

Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine

AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko, right, is mobbed by Clarence Seedorf and Kaka after a goal against city rival Inter Milan at the San Siro in 2004.

​BUFFON'S LAST FRONTIER

Gianluigi Buffon has won nearly everything as a player, capturing multiple Serie A titles and domestic cups and a UEFA Cup (and winning a World Cup with Italy). The Champions League is the last big item on his club bucket list, and after being denied in penalties vs. AC Milan in 2003 and again vs. Barcelona in 2015, he has another chance to lift the trophy that has eluded him for his legendary career. Expect the emotions to be flowing if Gigi gets his hands on that piece of silverware.

SELLERS CAN BE WINNERS

Two years ago, Paul Pogba, Carlos Tevez, Arturo Vidal, Alvaro Morata, Patrice Evra and Andrea Pirlo were in Juventus's starting XI in Berlin, where the club fell short at the final Champions League hurdle and lost to Barcelona. After cashing in but losing all that talent (not to mention selling youngster Kingsley Coman to Bayern Munich, too), Juventus is arguably stronger, more balanced and better positioned to be the king of Europe. And it's made a pretty penny (er, euro) in the process.

With title races clear, relegation battles, Totti's farewell enter Europe's spotlight

SILVERWARE PERSPECTIVE

Juventus can wrap up a sixth straight Serie A title this weekend, and it also has a place in the Coppa Italia final, meaning the club can complete the treble, should it win both finals. The only Italian team to pull off the treble so far has been Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in 2010, so there's plenty of history at stake. Only capturing the league title would make for a rather ordinary season, in the end. 

Real Madrid, meanwhile, is locked in a battle with Barcelona for La Liga's crown, something the club hasn't won since 2012 while seeing Barça lift the trophy six times in the last eight years. Continental supremacy is nice, but taking care of business in the backyard is of utmost importance, too, and bringing that domestic title to the final stage would add an element of swagger for Los Blancos. Perspective can change in an instant, too: without a La Liga title and with a loss in the Champions League final, Real Madrid would end the season without any silverware (its Club World Cup title not withstanding).