Real Madrid CF had been stuck on 9 Champions League titles for 12 years now - 75% of my lifetime, mind you - and they were itching to get the elusive tenth. The famed Galacticos of the early 2000s had brought home their last. I will not be exaggerating if I said that the current Real Madrid squad is a fresh set of Galacticos - Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Angel di Maria and the likes - assembled with their famed overflowing wealth and boundless desire for more and more cups. (And this is not even counting the recently exited Mesut Ozil and Gonzalo Higuain!)
It was this side which met the intrepid Atletico Madrid in the showpiece at Lisbon. No website or newspaper failed to mention that Atleti's budget was a fifth of Real's and their fan base orders of magnitude less. They don't even have a city to themselves. Yet they had an insane season no one had predicted, beating the big two Spanish sides to the La Liga and of course, making their way to Lisbon ousting Chelsea and Barcelona amongst others. Diego Simeone made the best of his squad most people did not recognise more than two names from.
Real had most of the ball in the final, came distressingly close many times through Ronaldo, Bale, Isco, Benzema, every other team member, coach Carlo Ancelotti's cousin's grandson's best friend, but did not find the net until it was very nearly too late. Diego Godin had sent the other Madrid team ahead in the first half courtesy a rare Casillas error. Real kept Thibaut Courtois and the Atletico defence very busy indeed in the second half and finally Ramos headed in, two minutes from the end of injury time.
Atletico was visibly tired in extra time and crumbled in the second half. Bale's superb header, made possible by di Maria's excellent cut through the defence, opened the gates; Marcelo consolidated it and Ronaldo, not one to miss out on the fun, scored his record 17th CL goal of the season to cap the match.
The all-Spanish final shows that Spain are not out of the World Cup race as yet - despite Atletico keystone Diego Costa's injury. For now, Real will bask in their Decima - but 10 being a nice round number will not stop them gunning for another in the seasons to come.
It was this side which met the intrepid Atletico Madrid in the showpiece at Lisbon. No website or newspaper failed to mention that Atleti's budget was a fifth of Real's and their fan base orders of magnitude less. They don't even have a city to themselves. Yet they had an insane season no one had predicted, beating the big two Spanish sides to the La Liga and of course, making their way to Lisbon ousting Chelsea and Barcelona amongst others. Diego Simeone made the best of his squad most people did not recognise more than two names from.
Real had most of the ball in the final, came distressingly close many times through Ronaldo, Bale, Isco, Benzema, every other team member, coach Carlo Ancelotti's cousin's grandson's best friend, but did not find the net until it was very nearly too late. Diego Godin had sent the other Madrid team ahead in the first half courtesy a rare Casillas error. Real kept Thibaut Courtois and the Atletico defence very busy indeed in the second half and finally Ramos headed in, two minutes from the end of injury time.
Atletico was visibly tired in extra time and crumbled in the second half. Bale's superb header, made possible by di Maria's excellent cut through the defence, opened the gates; Marcelo consolidated it and Ronaldo, not one to miss out on the fun, scored his record 17th CL goal of the season to cap the match.
The all-Spanish final shows that Spain are not out of the World Cup race as yet - despite Atletico keystone Diego Costa's injury. For now, Real will bask in their Decima - but 10 being a nice round number will not stop them gunning for another in the seasons to come.
3 years. Come back! :'( We miss your commentary on the latest and best of sports.
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