As Real Madrid head to Cardiff looking to win an unprecedented 12th European Cup and become the first team to defend the crown in the Champions League era, one player more than any other will be crucial to their aspirations...
No, not Cristiano Ronaldo. Casemiro.
An unsung hero of a team bursting with talent, the Brazilian melds everything together allowing his midfield and attacking colleagues — such as Ronaldo — the freedom to roam whilst patrolling his back four with menace.
Whilst it’s true that he has been the beneficiary of some leniency from officials during 2016/17, there’s rarely been any malice in any of Casemiro’s robust challenges. Ill-timed yes, but the former Porto man isn’t the type to deliberately hurt his opponent.
He is, for all intents and purposes, an enforcer. The type of player that will happily go to war if it means success further down the pitch.
That said, he has weighed in with some goals of his own, most spectacularly against Napoli, evidencing a willingness to get forward in support should the need arise.
Against Juventus, he’ll face one of his toughest assignments of the season as the up-and-coming Paulo Dybala, a confirmed target of Real’s not so long ago who will be looking to cement his burgeoning reputation on the biggest of stages.
Furthermore, Mario Mandzukic, converted from a more natural centre-forward, will dovetail with the young Argentinian’s movement just in front of Madrid’s back four, making the Brazilian’s job more difficult.
Juve frontman Gonzalo Higuain will enjoy keeping his old defensive teammates busy and with Alex Sandro and Dani Alves raiding incessantly down either flank, Real need to be aware of the late arrivals into the danger area from Dybala and Mandzukic.
The genuine ‘attack vs defence’ nature expected from this particular contest will surely make it an absorbing watch, and with Real leaking goals at the back it may be the Bianconeri that come forward in waves.
Los Blancos may have scored in a record-breaking number of consecutive games but that neatly overlooks the fact that they’ve only kept a clean sheet in half a dozen matches stretching back to early January.
Therefore, Casemiro’s anticipation and execution are vital in ensuring that Juve are kept at arm’s length.
Known to dive-in on occasions, reigning in that incredible will-to-win when the adrenaline will be pumping more than ever thanks to an atmosphere amplified by having the National Stadium roof closed, is something that is likely to test the defensive midfielder even more.
And yet, with specific instructions from the ever more wily Zinedine Zidane, there’s every reason to believe that a top-class performance from the defensive midfielder will be the deciding factor in Real making history again.
