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Real Madrid were the winners of the UEFA Champions League final on penalties after a 1-1 scoreline was split 5-3 in the shootout with Christiano Ronaldo delivering the killing blow.
REPORT: REAL MADRID WIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Final score
Real Madrid 1 (5)
Atletico Madrid 1 (3)
The 213th Madrid Derby again takes place on football’s grandest stage, as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid meet in the UEFA Champions League final for the second time in three seasons. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 4:30am (AEST).
Real Madrid better get used to this – no longer do Europe’s most glittering club claim outright primacy in the Spanish capital. The vocal neighbours from the suburbs have seen to this.
Nor can Atletico’s European prominence be dismissed any longer as luck or happenstance – this the fourth meeting in three seasons of Champions League football against their city rivals, and the second final.
While nothing can bring back the 2014 final, when Atleti lost on Real’s soil, the future is bright for Los Colchoneros.
Real will be assured though. While their La Liga rivalry has been split in recent seasons, the European meetings have fell the way of Los Merengues. The La Decima triumph of 2014 was sweet, as was knocking out Atletico in last season’s semis. Now in its third straight edition, the contest is taken to neutral territory in Milan’s San Siro, itself accustomed to hosting two great European powerhouses.
The team news for Real Madrid will largely concern the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo, who limped out of training earlier in the week. But his protestations of fitness, and primacy in this team will likely see the maestro line up alongside Gareth Bale behind Karim Benzema.
Midfield will be driven via the trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Isco, while manager and club great Zinedine Zidane has to do without Rafael Varane, meaning central defence will be occupied by Pepe and captain Sergio Ramos.
Real’s plan is simple – deliver to Ronaldo et al, and watch. Lather, rinse and repeat.
Atletico’s gameplan will delve into greater intricacy. Diego Simeone’s defensive mindset will once again need to be at its prime, with Uruguayan duo Diego Godin and Jose Gimenez charged to repel the Real trio’s advances. But Atletico boast their own midfield prowess, with the likes of Koke, Saul Ninguez and Gabi available.
Up front, Simeone will likely opt for Antoine Griezmann over former captain Fernando Torres, but with the absence of Varane from Real’s squad, the opportunity to expose the occasionally defensively suspect Ramos is rife.
For Real Madrid, victory is simply another notch on their already impressive belt, with an 11th European title beckoning. For Atletico however, it is an opportunity to break their neighbours’ dominance – for one season at least.
Expect a terse, tense affair, as is the case of any derby. Real have the firepower, Atletico the obduracy – the game could well go to extra time, such is the minimal difference between the two sides.
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