Champions league is at the end as the newly-crowned La Liga winner Atletico Madrid face their city rivals Real Madrid in Champions league final in Lisbon this Saturday in the last game of this competition. While Real Madrid since 2002., awaits for their 10th Champions league title, Diego Simeone’s side have never lift the UCL trophy and with a win over Real Madrid they could write a new history and complete an incredible double.
Pre Match
Champions league Final
Live Streams
May 24, 2014 7:45 PM BST
Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica (da Luz) — Lisboa
Referee: B. Kuipers
Match Video & Full Match Replay – available shortly after the game end
This year’s Champions league final is specific as for the first time in history we have two clubs from the same city. Until now we watched some finals with the clubs from the same league, but never from the same city. We can only hope that we wont see a match with a lot of “fighting” which we saw in a mutual encounters between these two teams so far this season.
Both clubs were until the very end in a fight for three trophies, and now Real Madrid and Atletico play the last game of the season, which for both clubs was too long. Real Madrid have won the Cup after beating Atletico , while Simeone’s side have won the league title, the first after 1996. Now they face in the Spanish Champions league final. Can los Colchoneros end this season on a dream way, or Real Madrid stars will prove to be to strong ?
Champions League final is ‘fifty-fifty’, says Ronaldo
Real Madrid invested a lot of money to bring new faces like Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Isco and the coach Ancelotti to win only one Cup. On the other side, the key of Atletico’s success is a brilliant Diego Simeone and his team’s biggest star Diego Costa who most likely will be ready for the final game. Another doubt for Simeone is Arda Turan, but according to the last information’s, he as well could start. This could prove to be a major decision for Simeone to make as sending both against Barcelona in the last round almost cost them league title. Costa and Turan left the game before an end of the first half time, but testing luck in a Champions league final is something that Simeone could only decide.
On the other side, a big relief for Carlo Ancelotti is that Cristiano Ronaldo was cleared to play, but the Italian coach, faces other problems, as Benzema and Pepe remain a doubt after not training the last week.
Carlo Ancelotti’s seventh finale
“We started the season with the aim of entering the Champions League final, or the conquest of La Decima and now we’re here, and that’s why this is a special finale. ”
“This is my seventh finale and I am happy to be in it. Personally I have no more to ask from this competition, but we all know how important Champions League is to Real Madrid. First day at the club I said I’ll do everything I can to conquer it,” said Ancelotti.
Real Madrid’s dream is not an obsession
“On the eve of a meeting like this a lot of is going through my head, and it is important to remain calm, to train good and be on the cusp of possibility.
I remember clearly my press conference before the final back in 2007th year, then I thought ‘Maybe this is the last such conference, I’ll better enjoy it,’ recalled Ancelotti details from the past. Now with Real Madrid the Italian has a chance to win his fifth Champions League title, two he has won as a player and two as a coach, all with AC Milan.
Cristiano Ronaldo knows the pressure is on to deliver La Decima to Real Madrid supporters
“It is a moment that all Madridistas are dreaming about – the decima,” he said. “We are all very excited, so we have to win.
“It will be a special game. I will be playing in my home country.”
Ramos calls for the right approach and the right motivation
“We need the right approach and the right motivation, that two things can above all else decide this game,” said Sergio Ramos, doesn’t worry about taking the “fight” with Costa: “I’m now worried whether Diego Costa will play, I do not care who plays for them, I’m more worried about my teammates, Ronaldo and Benzema, who had problems with injuries in recent days. ”
Atletico favourites for Champions League – Ramos
Iker Casillas
“We deserve to be here, in the past, we have learned a lot from games in which we underestimated rivals and it has helped us this year. We are aware of Atletico’s strength and we wont make the same mistakes.
Bale looking forward to Champions League
Simeone is confident his players can be strong without doubtful duo Turan – Costa
“From the strikers right through to the goalkeeper, the team is aware of how we need to play in order to succeed, in order to highlight our strengths and hide our weaknesses – because we do have weaknesses, we just hope not to show them,” he is quoted as saying by Uefa.com.
Real are one of the best teams in the world- Simeone
“It’s a historic rivalry. It’s great, both in terms of the matches themselves and the fact that in one city you have such a powerful team as Real Madrid and a battling team such as Atletico Madrid.
“Each team uses the tools it has at its disposal and it’s a great rivalry, no matter which team you support.”
“I do not feel the pressure as people think, but I feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders. We’re compact, well crafted team, we’re good at assessing individual situations within the game and that is why we are in the final.
“We do not know how Real Madrid will play. We are prepared for different combinations, we will try to block them and find a way to control the game,” continued Simeone and pointed out that it does not matter who’s going to play, “Costa and Turan are our important players, but there are only the names, I think it will not be a big difference even if they dont.”
“If we continue like before, we will win without any problems”
“We are aware of the level at which we are now and for every player it’s a dream come true.We’ll give all of what we have, and if we continue with what we have been doing until now wont have problems to get a victory in the final,” said Raul Garcia.
Team Probable lineups :
Costa and Turan train ahead of Champions League final
Xabi Alonso is suspended, while Karim Benzema (hamstring) and Pepe (calf) are doubtful for Real Madrid, while Costa and Arda Turan (knee) most probably will play.
Real Madrid : Casillas – Carvajal, Varane, S.Ramos, F.Coentrao – Illarramendi, Modrić – di Maria, Ronaldo, Bale – Morata
Atletico Madrid : Courtois – Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe – Tiago, Gabi – Koke, Raul Garcia ( Arda Turan?) – Adrian, Villa ( Costa?)