Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will face off in the Champions League final at the end of this month in Milan and all eyes will be on the middle of the pitch.

The midfield battle will undeniably be the one to keep an eye on with both sides possessing complete different styles. Real Madrid will own the ball and probe about looking to break down a highly structured Atletico side that will look to roam free on the counter attack.

Which side will win the fight?

Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane is likely to move forward with a 4-3-3 that features Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the pitch.

Casemiro has given the team stability on the back end, providing a physical presence that steals the ball back from opponents and helps to launch the attack moving forward. Casemiro of course is no Xabi Alonso and it is his mediocre playmaking that has made him somewhat of a problem for the team in the middle of the park. That said, Casemiro not only shields the back four, but also gives Kroos and Modric more freedom to roam forward.

Not freed from being the last man in the middle, Kroos has blossomed this season. He is pushing forward and helping create, while still moving deep to collect the ball and create plays. He is, by all accounts, the main engine of the Madrid machine.

Modric is the heart and soul of the team's attack, possessing creative prowess that no one else on the side has (with one exception). He is nimble and smart, rarely ever making a false play.

Off the bench, Zidane has James Rodriguez and Isco. One of these could make an appearance if there is an injury on the pitch. Isco is a tremendous dribbler, but slackens the pace while the Colombian is known for his pinpoint precision passing and his ability to launch a counter attack. Rodriguez might be crucial to unlocking the rigid Atletico Madrid defense as is ability to start a quick counter might be the only way to shut down a slow Atletico defense.

Atletico Madrid

Diego Simeone is likely to line up in a 4-4-2 with his midfielders holding serve, clogging up the middle and then pushing Madrid's attack to the wings where he can get double teams and physical aggression to slow Madrid's pace.

It almost worked two years ago when his team held a 1-0 lead until the final stages of the Champions League final.

Koke is the fulcrum for Atleti's midfield and he has the support of Gabi, Augusto Fernandez and Saul Niguez. All four are capable of playing a quick game and are also physical forces unafraid of taking fouls to frustrate opponents. Between those four, Atletico has earned 21 yellow cards in La Liga this season. But the fouls are usually well thought-out with the quartet only getting one red card in the same span.

Edge

Real Madrid possesses stronger creativity in the midfield, but the reality is that the team has lost this battle before. Atletico has often known how to pressure and shut down Madrid's finesse attack, losing only once over the last few seasons to Los Blancos. Atletico's strategy is better in the midfield even if Madrid's quality is higher.