Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to ensure Gianluigi Buffon's wait for a Champions League title will go on, as Real Madrid beat Juventus 4-1 at the Millenium Stadium on Saturday evening.

The two teams put on a thrilling display of football that looked like it could go either way for an hour, before Ronaldo and co intervened to ensure they'd take the trophy back to Spain for the third time in four years.

Quick start makes for good viewing

You'd have been forgiven for thinking toe opening exchanges would have been cagey, Juventus as the underdogs looking to play their way into the game with some defensive solidity.

That wasn't how the Italians saw it though, piling the pressure on in the first 10 minutes with some excellent attacking football that also brought about an opening goal.

Gonzalo Higuain looked hungry and forced two efforts on target, one with his head and the other on his right foot, before Miralem Pjanic tested Keylor Navas with a sharp left-footed effort from outside the area. Getting down well, the Costa-Rican 'keeper managed to tip the ball around the post.

Juventus' quick start may have come as a slight surprise to the holders Madrid, who seemed riled as Sergio Ramos barged Mandzukic in the back following a coming together with Daniel Carvajal.

Ronaldo fires Los Blancos ahead

The tension was relieved soon after though, Zinedine Zidane watching on with delight as he saw his side sweep up the pitch to open the scoring.

Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema were involved in the build-up, before all attentions turned to Cristiano Ronaldo. Charging in from the right, the Portugese superstar played a quick one-two with Carvajal before sweeping the ball into the net, aided by a slight deflection.

Mandzukic bags special goal

Juventus replied quickly though, with arguably the goal of the tournament through Mandzukic.

Leonardo Bonucci was the catalyst, lifting a fantastic lofted ball towards the left where Alex Sandro kept it alive, dinking the ball up to Higuain who, in turn, chested it down and tee'd up Mandzukic.

The Croatian did the rest. With the ball having not touched the ground since it left Bonucci's boot, Mandzukic chested the ball away from goal, before arching his body to expertly leap up and send an overhead kick into the top corner, well out of Keylor Navas' reach.

Madrid seek control once more

Real had chances to restore their lead before half-time and should have through Ronaldo as he nodded well wide from a Marcelo cross, the ball finishing up nearer to the corner flag than the goal.

Still, Zidane would have been fairly happy to make it to half-time on level terms after the momentum that Juventus looked to gain after that amazing Mandzukic goal, one that was drawing comparisons to Zidane's own European final stunner before the celebrations had even finished.

Madrid looked to take back control of the game as it got underway once more, something they did successfully with Juventus pinned back into their own area for large periods.

36-year-old Andrea Barzagli showed no signs of age as he elegantly hooked his foot around Isco to slow down another Real attack, but the wall did eventually break as an unlikely hero struck to restore the Spaniard's lead.

Two goals leave Juventus stunned

Casemiro was the man who got the goal just as the clock had ticked past the hour mark, somewhat fortuitously as a long range shot flew off Sami Khedira's heels and swerved past Gianluigi Buffon into the bottom corner.

Two became three almost instantly with Juventus well and truly on the ropes, Cristiano Ronaldo only too happy to fire home a third as Madrid eased away from their opposition.

Credit must go to Luka Modric for the assist, stealing in ahead of Mario Mandzukic to reclaim the ball and burst to the by-line, swinging a ball across where Ronaldo lay to send a finish past the stranded Buffon.

Real romp to win as Cuadrado sees red

That seemed to knock the stuffing out of Juventus, who fluffed any opportunity to pull one back as they went down to 10 men just after Sandro nodded inches wide from a free-kick curled in.

Substitute Juan Cuadrado was the man who saw red. Having been booked for a late challenge soon after coming on, the Colombian lost his cool with Sergio Ramos, a shove and kick at the defender enough in the referee's book to justify a second yellow, despite some comical antics from Ramos.

That was the final nail in the coffin in terms of any comeback, leaving Madrid to seal the game in the dying minutes through Sergio Asensio.

After Ronaldo spurned the opportunity to seal a hat-trick as a free-kick was blocked, Marcelo reacted quickest and danced into the box from the left, pulling the ball back for Asensio who capped off a sparkling attacking performance from Los Blancos, tucking the ball into the corner.

That was enough to send the Madrid end into delirium, sealing a 12th Champion League victory and ensuring another final defeat for Juventus.