Grand masters Allegri and Zidane prepare for Cardiff chess match

Both come from old port cities beside the Mediterranean, but the two men arrived at the top of their profession by completely different routes, writes David Shonfield.

Zinedine Zidane can make football history this week, in only his first full season as a manager. But to do so he has to overcome the club where he made his name as a player, and a manager who has already written his name into the history books this season.

Real Madrid against Juventus in the Champions League final has so many fascinating facets that it is hard to know where to begin. There are dazzling players on both sides and individual battles to relish: Toni Kroos against Sami Khedira in midfield; Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema against Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli.