first tonight, both teams have arrived in cardiff, where real madrid will be hoping for their second consecutive champions league title as they take on juventus tomorrow night. and i'm ollie foster at the principality stadium. we have already heard from juve. more on that coming up. australia's cricketers are in trouble against new zealand in the champions trophy, but on a rain affected day, will the bad weather save them? and in paris, defending french open champion novak djokovic was under pressure in his third round match, but could he keep his cool? also coming up in the programme: it's flat racing's event tomorrow at epsom — the derby — and we meet one of the favourites, who's looking to achieve something his father frankel never did, by winning the classic. and i'm with the british and irish lions as they prepare to get their gruelling tour of new zealand under way. plenty coming up on the programme tonight, but first we'll start

with one of the highlights this weekend — the champions league final. tomorrow night real madrid will be chasing their second consecutive champions league title when they face juventus at cardiff's principality. both the teams have arrived in the welsh capital, as has olly foster who's there for us this evening. olly, the eyes of the world are on cardiff this weekend. absolutely, holly. good evening to you. the city is gearing up for something that should be very special indeed tomorrow evening. indeed the welsh first minister has called this the biggest event this stadium will have hosted, that the city will have posted. there have been some fantastic rugby matches their deadly years, some of those friday night matches with the roof on and all of the pyrotechnics. the roof will be in there tomorrow evening. the italian champions juventus are in there, and they will

be going for their third european champions cup win tomorrow evening. but they have a terrible record in the final, having lost six. we heard from the 39—year—old goalkeeper, gianluca buffon, and it would be something that would warm the heart if he could finally get his hands on a european champions league winner's medel, something he has never achieved. i asked medel, something he has never achieved. iasked him medel, something he has never achieved. i asked him whether this makes this so special, because it will perhaps be his last chance, and he said it is his moral imperative not to think of this match like this. someone asked him if he was dreaming about ronaldo and benzema, and he said he can't afford to because there are other players he will dream about as well in that real madrid team and it is just not enough for one night. he was really good form. talking about ronaldo, i spoke to one of his former team—mates, ryan giggs, who played with him in the 2008 final which manchester united won against chelsea in russia. giggs has of

course played a couple of fa cup finals here at what used to be the millennium stadium as well, with manchester united. he played with gareth bale as well for wales, so he was very well placed to speak about two of real madrid's shining stars. obviously the italian teams are known for how they are defensively, compact, organisation, aggressive, against obviously real madrid team or club that is famous for attacking football, famous for individual flair, individual players who can turn a flair, individual players who can turna game. flair, individual players who can turn a game. gareth bale has his pictures all over the city. he has not been in the team for the last six weeks at the sharp end of the season six weeks at the sharp end of the season and has admitted he probably will not start. obviously a shame. obviously if it gareth bale would walk into any team, his hometown.

but i think he will get his head round it, if he doesn't start he will come on and make an impact, and just what he does and that 20 minutes, half an hour, just what he does and that 20 minutes, halfan hour, if just what he does and that 20 minutes, half an hour, if it goes to extra time he might even get longer. he isa extra time he might even get longer. he is a special player like cristiano, scores special goals. great for the city to be hosting a match like this? you can feel the atmosphere? a great atmosphere in the middle of the city. there is a real buzz not only a red card is but wheels in general, to host a champions league final and such a good one with juventus and champions league final and such a good one withjuventus and real madrid, it is bled —— not only around cardiff but in wales in general. now, as with all major events in recent days, following last week's bombing in manchester security is a real concern, and special preparations are taking place tonight. yes, only are taking place tonight. yes, only a week and a half since that terrorist atrocity in manchester, and we have seen that at major events, sporting events going on, increased police presence, a lot of armed police on the streets and around venues with large crowds.

cardiff is certainly no different to that. we arrived late yesterday afternoon, and there was a very visible and increased police presence and there will be more police on the streets tomorrow. this is always a big security operation anyway. with this stadium, big fantastic stadium slap bang in the middle of cardiff. quite an operation getting fans in and out from wherever they are coming from. there are only 18,000 tickets, the official allocation, for both juventus and real madrid, but anywhere it words to 150,000 of those fans are expected in the city. lots of fans‘ parks down in the day, in the shadow of cardiff council as well. and in the city as well the whole uefa delegation, including the president, alexanderjefford income and he has been speaking about the security operation they will put on

—— aleksander ceferin. i don't know that football is a target, but all the big events with big crowds are possibly targets. the problem is that the stadiums are secured, they are safe, but there are many people on the streets, so we have to be cautious about it. we have to be connected to the police, the local police, intelligence agencies and we are doing that. the uefa president there. they will put on quite a show, olly, before kick—off, 7:45pm tomorrow evening. the black eyed peas will be the main event and straight after doing that they will head to manchester to take pa rt they will head to manchester to take part in that concert at old trafford cricket ground to remember those affected by that manchester bombing. here is their main singer, will i am. i have been living up in manchester for the past five years, and i play with my best friends in the black eyed peas all

the time, so imagining something like that to happen at a concert, it isjust heartbreaking, like that to happen at a concert, it is just heartbreaking, for the like that to happen at a concert, it isjust heartbreaking, for the fans, the concertgoers, for the band, i just can't imagine what ariana grande felt leaving the stadium, with all the families and the victims. just people coming together for music to enjoy life. so to see something like that happen, itjust breaks my heart into a thousand billion pieces. will i am will be with the black eyed peas tomorrow, and i think that isa eyed peas tomorrow, and i think that is a sportsday first, having will i am on the programme! another exclusive. he told our sports correspondent richard conway that fergie is not leaving the band! i imagine you, myself and many others will sleep easier tonight and i imagine thatjuve and real madrid well as well! i couldn't imagine they could get through tomorrow night's match without that years!

laughter thank you for that. —— without that news. now, elsewhere, northern ireland face new zealand tonight in belfast in a friendly, as they prepare for a crucial world cup qualifier next week away in azerbaijan. michael o'neill‘s side are currently second at the qualification‘s halfway point, and see tonight's game as important preparation. it isa it is a good game. i think new zealand are well prepared, going to the confederation cup. i think it will be a good physical and fitness test for us as well. i think it is great preparation for us going out there. they are preparing for imported games, like ourselves, so good for us to get back here. we don't get too many opportunities we wa nt don't get too many opportunities we want to put in a good performance, first and foremost. australia's cricketers have been speared defeat against new zealand by the weather. the black cats were put into bat but quite a disappointing target after a good start. they were restricted to just

291 all out. josh hazlewood took six wickets. australia lost three quick wickets. australia lost three quick wickets in their reply and were in trouble at 53 for three when rain stopped play again, and were saved by the conditions with the match abandoned with no result. both sides will receive the points. and don't forget the bbc has highlights of all the champions trophy matches. you can watch today's game at 20 past midnight. england all—rounder chris woakes has been ruled out of the rest of the champions trophy, due to a side strain sustained in yesterday's win over bangladesh in the opening match of the tournament at the oval. woakes could only manage two overs before the injury. his replacement has not yet been named, with steven finn amongst the possible candidates. tom curran is the other possible candidate. let's stay with cricket because back in april zafar ansari shocked the sport by announcing his retirement from the game at the tender age of 25, and only a few

months after making his england test debut. i am delighted to say that zafar drives me here. firstly, what led you to that decision, not an easy one to make of course? no, it was a really difficult decision to make. there was not one thing that led to it. i think it was just a case of me wanting to move on and do something else and felt cricket was quite fulfilling me. to make that decision at 25 years old, big decision. is it something you had a lwa ys decision. is it something you had always considered? decision. is it something you had always considered ? that decision. is it something you had always considered? that perhaps a professional career in cricket was not for you? yes, i think until 21-22, not for you? yes, i think until 21—22, and even in the last few yea rs, 21—22, and even in the last few years, i had always been playing cricket alongside doing something else, whether a degree, masters, and a lwa ys else, whether a degree, masters, and always had in mind cricket was not something i wanted to go for as long as possible. it was something i wa nted as possible. it was something i wanted to do as long as i was enjoying it and really wanted to do it and enjoying it and really wanted to do itandi enjoying it and really wanted to do it and i think as time went on that kind of slip away, and there are other things in life that were just calling to me. do you have any idea at the minute what those things are?

there was a lot of talk in the media that you would go down a career in law for example? you know what that will be? law is one option and i will be? law is one option and i will do a law conversion, as you have to if you want to go down that route. but i am definitely not set on becoming a lawyer. i think there are on becoming a lawyer. i think there a re lots of on becoming a lawyer. i think there are lots of interesting things out there, whether it is with charities, politics, whatever it might be, so i am trying to keep my options open. we are obviously in the middle of the champions trophy at the minute. bangladesh yesterday against england. england went in the favourites. what did you think of their performance? i think it was exactly the kind of performance they would have wanted. you are put under pressure by a good bangladesh side, and to come out the other side with and to come out the other side with a win. it is something they have struggled to do over the last ten, 15, 20 years, so for them to struggled to do over the last ten, 15,20 years, so for them to do struggled to do over the last ten, 15, 20 years, so for them to do that with such confidence was really good to see. well, good luck in everything you do in the future, whatever it is you decide. and thank

you for appearing on sportsday. still to come on sportsday, we are with the lions in new zealand, the match with the all blacks just three weeks away... and i will be meeting the frankel foal that no one wanted, yet could win the derby. now, syria's national football team face china later this month with qualification to next year's world cup in russia still a real possibility. it's an astonishing achievement for a country in the seventh year of a bloody civil war, unable to play at home and with many star players having left. football in syria is funded by the assad regime, though, and as our sports correspondent richard conway reports, their performances are being used to score political points too. the final score is syria one, uzbekistan zero. syria is making sporting headlines for once.

after beating some of the best teams in asia, its nationalfootball team has a real chance of qualifying for next year's world cup. granted access to the country, we attended this low—key premier league game in damascus. the poor conditions make what the national side has achieved all the more remarkable. translation: the results we've achieved are not just an accomplishment. they are a miracle. in football, nothing is impossible. where there is life, there is hope. but this is about more than just sport. with the war in syria now into its seventh year, president assad's government finances football, using it as propaganda to paint a picture of national unity and normalisation. but life here is farfrom normal. while in damascus we witnessed the aftermath of two explosions that killed 7a people, a stark reminder of the turmoil that has engulfed this country. with the assad regime accused of horrendous war crimes

against its own people, there are questions, too, about the moral right of syria's sports teams to compete on the world stage. a question i put to one of the country's senior officials. translation: when terrorism and jihadis came to syria, it became our duty to defend our schools and hospitals. if a thief arrives at your house, will you let him steal it, or will you defend your house and your family? millions have fled the war. 80,000 of them now live here at the zaatari refugee camp in jordan. among them is mohammad khalaf, who is now rebuilding his football career, with the new club close to the camp. an exporter has nothing to do with

politics. if the syrian team plays with any other country, for sure and from the bottom of my heart i will support and back it. —— translation: sport has nothing to do with politics. syria's sporting success unites this deeply fractured nation, it is difficult to tell the extent. but with this, there comes a unique sporting pressure. translation: richard conway, bbc news, damascus. and you can see the full version of that story in our world — football on the frontline on the bbc news channel sunday at 9.30pm and bbc 2 monday at 11.20pm. where the defending men's champion

novak djokovic survived it's been a dramatic day at the french open, where the defending men's champion novak djokovic survived a scare to book his place in the fourth round. he started well against argentine diego schwartzman but an error strewn performance saw him gift the world number 41 the set 7—5. djokovic bounced back to take the second 6—3 but the third went the way of schwartzman. djokovic wasn't having the best of days, warned throughout the match about slow play and unsportsmanlike conduct, leading to this exchange with the umpire. it didn't upset his rhythm too much as he levelled the match at two sets all taking the fourth 6—1, forcing a deciding set. and with schwartzman struggling with a rib injury, the fifth set was comfortable enough for djokovic as he saw out the victory to move into the fourth round. a much easier day's work for the nine—time champion rafael nadal.

the number four seed showed why he is dubbed the ‘king of clay' with an impressive performance against nikoloz basilashvili. he dropped only one game in the entire match, winning6—0,6—1,6—0, insidejust 90 minutes. it was his 100th best of five sets match on clay. his 98th win! bad news for belgium's tenth seed david goffin, though. he's out of the tournament after retiring hurt in his third round match against argentina's horacio zeballos. goffin was leading 5—4 in the first set when he slipped chasing a ball, and looked like he jammed his foot in the rolled up covers. he could now be a doubt for wimbledon which starts in four weeks. in the women's draw, the defending champion, muguruza, is safely through to the fourth round. in a match that featured 11 breaks of serve in the 20 games played, the spaniard eventually won 7—5, 6—2. there was a surprise at epsom where enable,

ridden by frankie dettori, won the oaks. john gosden‘s filly was a 6—1 shot for the mile—and—a—half classic, run in driving rain, after a thunderstorm hit the track just minutes before the start. odds—on favourite rhododendron finished second. this horse will be hoping to make an impact at epsom tomorrow. this is eminent, and his father is the great frankel. unlike other frankel foals, which have sold for millions of pounds, eminent failed to sell at auction. but trainer martin meede saw something in him, and persuaded owner sir peter vela to invest. so far theirfaith has been rewarded. tim hague's been to newmarket to find out more. i'm here at sefton lodge, one of newmarket‘s most historic stables, named after the 1878 derby winner. they are hoping they have a 2017 derby winner in their mists as well, eminent, the son of the great frankel. i finished sixth, yes, a

lot better, so hopefully... it is a wide—open race, but hopefully he can come out in front. how is he to manage? he seems a bit playful! yes, he has a lovely temperament. obviously frankel could be a bit hot and things like that, but he seems to have a really good temperament. you mention frankel. does he remind you of them? he has a huge stride which frankel had, which is important for covering the ground. he isa important for covering the ground. he is a big horse and frankel was as well. also very athletic. physically, he is a great specimen. i think you just have to look at his races and see his stride, and that is something to marvel at. but i think that in itself isn't any good if he is not case, but luckily he is a horse who conducts himself well. he wants to know what to do and he wants to please you and i think those are the essential things to

really good racehorses. the 2017 derby is the richest race to ever ta ke derby is the richest race to ever take place on british soil. £1.625 million. this one will be there, having really taken a piece out of my arm today, so well—prepared, and his brother were also be there, the favourite. both horses will be hoping to do something their father never did, when the derby. studio: i think tim's made a friend there! and you can see more of eminent in tim's report on the one o'clock news tomorrow lunchtime, on bbc one and the bbc news channel. the british and irish lions kick off their tour of new zealand tomorrow when they play the provincial barbarians. much has been made of the lions schedule, which is considered to be one of the toughest ever. so let's look at what they have to do. there are six warm up games ahead of the first test, starting with that game tomorrow.

then they play every three of four days for the next three weeks, playing some of new zealand's best club sides. the first test against the all blacks is onjune 24th, then there's another warm up game, followed the second and third tests. our reporter chrisjones our reporter chris jones is our reporter chrisjones is with the lions camp. they had off for the delete mac —— to the sunny skies for the first fixture. the lions should and must beat the provincial barbarians tomorrow. those selected for the lions have a wonderful opportunity to make an early impression. it really felt like i was chasing at four years ago because i miss the first games, the la st because i miss the first games, the last guy in the whole tour to play a fixture, so good to get the things

in my kit bag. we all know every game now is a massive audition for the test matches, is really pleased to be involved in the first one. the provincial barbarians are relatively unknown but a lot of focus will be on theirfly—half, unknown but a lot of focus will be on their fly—half, 22—year—old unknown but a lot of focus will be on theirfly—half, 22—year—old has played for the auckland blues and is also a son of the lions boss. spoke to them last week and he is enjoying it, so i think we will catch up tomorrow. he will expect to make a few tackles of the whee kim, but we haven't spoken too much about the game. obviously he's pretty excited about the opportunity to play, if he does get a chance to play against us. does get a chance to play against us. look forward to seeing how he goes. after months, years, it and expectation, we are finally about to get up and running. it has been called the most difficult lions tour

of all time, and it all gets underway tomorrow. sir ben ainslie's landrover bar team is through to the playoffs of the americas cup, as they attempt to become the first british winners in the 166—year history of the trophy. but it hasn't all been plain sailing in bermuda, as our sports correspondent natalie pirks reports. sur ben ainslie's exasperation as his race boat nosedived into bermuda's great sound is summed up his team's campaign so far. needing one more point to guarantee a point in the play—off semifinals, he faced one of the favourites, team new zealand, but the most successful sailor in olympic history could only watch in horror as the kiwis raced past them into a commanding lead. they are absolutely killing us. so superior in fact were new zealand, bar did not even finish the race. we are retiring from this race, over.

ainslie had lead after winning in the challenger series and the team definitely needed it. they next faced france, the weakest team in the field. the aim of the game is to get the boat upon to their files, to fly out of the water, gaining maximum speed. but with only minimal wind, both teams were struggling. it is dubbed formula 1 on water but this looked more like chess. seemingly in slow motion a great practical call, though, by the olympic champion, saw bar finally sneak over the finish line just ahead of their rivals. out of the all round. we were struggling with the lighter winds we had today. on the lighter winds we had today. on the downwind we couldn't quite get up the downwind we couldn't quite get up on the foil. it felt like a really close match race. we just got out, bit of pressure, we close down and took a win by the narrowest of margins. yes, and up and down day.

so bar now going into the play—offs but it is clear there is plenty of work to do if they are to stand any chance of making the final. ainslie of course made his name at the olympics, and it may come as a surprise to some that there are still more opportunities for men to win medals at the games than women, and the only way to even things up, dropping some events for men to create a space for women's. canoeing is one of the sports which is taking up is one of the sports which is taking up the challenge. looking ahead to 2020, the british squad welcomed the move. but there are more immediate focus is on the european championships, which gets underway at the weekend. jonathan tah reports. trying to fill the water and the moves they will make, iron up and the moves they will make, iron up the challenge ahead, which for this squad is the european championships, the first big test of the season. i think the team selected is probably one of the best

we have ever had, so i think we would like to challenge for a few medals on this occasion. i think we have a team good enough to do so. britain ruled the waves in canoeing at rio, winning nine medals at the olympic and paralympic games. he has cured himself a medel here! but things will be different injapan. for part of the gender equality plans, the women now have more chances to win medals in tokyo than ever before. that is because they have gained a place at the expense of the men. the women singles event is replacing one of the men's, something britain had done well in in the last two olympic games, winning three medals. so the golden bought from london is no more. the end of canoeing bubble style. obviously it is a shame the men's category has to go because it was an exciting category to watch and see how the two men worked together, so

it isa how the two men worked together, so it is a shame for that to go and shame you can't just it is a shame for that to go and shame you can'tjust increase the numbers, but for the to stay in the olympic programme, equality had to be met. and britain has some real talent dripping off the top step, including mallory franklin. at the top step of the year ‘s? including mallory franklin. at the top step of the year 's? perhaps. people are getting really good in the team so anything could happen in the team so anything could happen in the remaining three years or whatever but i will be fighting and i will be trying. in total, britain can's tamuz squad are battling for olympic places. two for the men and they for women. but it is notjust all work. there is time for some fun, why they got into the sport in the first place. that is all from jaw—mac. plenty of action still to come this weekend and we will of course keep you up—to—date on bbc news throughout the evening. goodbye

from me. the weekend is upon us and it could offer some good opportunities for getting out and about. some sunshine but also showers in the forecast. rain drifting eastward and ahead of that pretty warm and humid and you can see some showers and thunderstormss. the risk of those easing down over the next few hours but still some rain in parts of the midlands and into the north—east of england by the end of the weekend. further west will be dry with clear spells. it will feel quite fresh air. nine, ten, 11 degrees. read about 1516 here. early showers tend to clear away. —— around about 15—16 here. northern ireland and scotland

will see most of the showers, not as hot as it has been in the east and cornwall but still pleasant enough. in the law 20s. temperatures down and not or two on sunday, still dry for many but some showers in the northwest. this is bbc news. the headlines at 7pm. theresa may and jeremy corbyn prepare to face questions with less than a week to polling day. it comes on a day that conservative candidate craig mackinlay, and two party workers are charged over expenses claimed during the 2015 campaign. the conservative party continues to believe that these allegations are unfounded, he's innocent until proven gulity and remains our candidate. shows bad judgment from theresa may, why would you let this candidate go

ahead with this cloud hanging over him. the prime minister has been defending her decision not to sign a joint letter of protest with eu leaders after president trump pulls out of the paris climate accord. ireland is on the cusp of electing its first gay premier