Real Madrid's 'terrible twins': Ramos and Pepe are the bruisers at the back that give a hard edge alongside the beauty of Ronaldo

Trust Sergio Ramos to rise above the routine and the mundane at Real Madrid's media day this week and liken winning the Champions League to making love. He stopped short of going into full Swiss Tony mode ahead of Saturday's showdown, but when he was asked if winning his second European Cup would top the first time he said: 'The first time - it's like when you make love. You always remember it but it's true that you can get better because we are usually a disaster the first time. So the first time is special but I'm ambitious and optimistic and I want to keep topping up my curriculum with more trophies.'

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Ramos keeps a close eye on team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd left) during Tuesday's training session

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Real Madrid centre back Pepe addresses the media along with his manager Zinedine Zidane

REAL MADRID'S PATH TO FINAL 

Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar (group stage)

Malmo 0-2 Real Madrid (group stage)

PSG 0-0 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 1-0 PSG (group stage)

Shakhtar 3-4 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo (group stage)

Roma 0-2 Real Madrid (last 16)

Real Madrid 2-0 Roma (last 16)

Wolfsburg 2-0 Real Madrid (quarter-final)

Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg (quarter-final)

Manchester City 0-0 Real Madrid (semi-final)

Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City (semi-final) 

Pepe and Ramos have been superb in this tournament. Never mind the BBC - only two teams have scored against Madrid in the Champions League this season and their tally of five goals against is better than even Atletico Madrid.

For all that Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will threaten Diego Simone’s side, he will know better than anyone that it’s the terrible twins at the other end of the pitch he needs to get past. 

Despite all the red cards and the occasional harebrained runs forward, Ramos remains one of the best central defenders in Europe. And despite his advancing years and being written off as yesterday’s man by Mourinho, Pepe is still Madrid’s first choice.

The pair have very little in common off the pitch although they shared a dislike for Mourinho in the Portuguese manager’s final throes and were united in preferring him not to be brought back after Rafa Benitez was sacked.

Both men also have had more than their fair share of critics. Ramos’s detractors say he can’t be trusted. He can’t be trusted to stay on the pitch – sent off more times than any other Real Madrid player. And he can’t be trusted to make the right positional decisions – in the Clasico he charged out towards Sergi Roberto and allowed Luis Suarez to run in behind 

Jose Mourinho would deliver exciting football at Man Utd - Paul Scholes

Jose Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December, seven months after guiding them to the Premier League title

Jose Mourinho will learn from Louis van Gaal's experience and deliver exciting football at Manchester United should he become manager, says club legend Paul Scholes.

Talks to bring Mourinho to Old Trafford have entered a second day.

Van Gaal was sacked on Monday, two days after winning the FA Cup.

"The fans at Man United demand entertaining football and I'm sure Mourinho will come and try and give it," said former midfielder Scholes.

Van Gaal led United to fifth place in the Premier League but was criticised for his lack of attacking football, with the team only scoring 49 league goals this season.

Scholes, who won 11 league titles and two Champions Leagues during a 20-year career at Old Trafford, was among Van Gaal's critics, claiming United were disjointed and played boring football under the 64-year-old.

He also questioned whether the former Netherlands, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss really understood the "ethos of the club".

"I think Mourinho will have watched that closely and will have seen what happened," Scholes, 41, told BBC Surrey. "He's a top manager, he's proven that before and hopefully he can do that again."

Scholes and Giggs were in the United team that won the Premier League title in 2013

Scholes also said he was optimistic former team-mate Ryan Giggs, who was assistant manager under Van Gaal, will stay at Old Trafford.

"I think it's important that there's some form of continuity," he said. "Hopefully he'll still be at the club, hopefully still working with the first team.

"He knows the club inside out, he's been there for nearly 30 years now."

The impending appointment of former Chelsea boss Mourinho has drawn a mixed reaction from former United players.

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Paul Scholes and Peter Schmeichel on Jose Mourinho

Ex-goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel says the Portuguese "could save" the club, while Hull City boss Steve Bruce believes the opportunity to bring in the three-time Premier League winner was "just too good to miss".

But Old Trafford legend Eric Cantona told the Guardian his former club should have gone for Pep Guardiola, who will join Manchester City instead.

Cantona, who celebrated his 50th birthday this week, said he "loved" Mourinho but claimed the style of football he chooses to play is "not Manchester United".

FIXTURES RESULTS TABLES MATCH ZONE 'I've been watching him for a long time': Wenger gets his man as Xhaka seals £35m switch after agreeing £110,000-a-week deal

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Switzerland international Granit Xhaka after securing the final details of a £35million deal to bring in the midfielder from Borussia Monchengladbach. Xhaka has put pen to paper on a five-year contract worth £110,000-per-week and has passed a medical ahead of his move going through when the transfer window opens next week. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: 'Granit Xhaka is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience. We have been watching him for a long time now.'