The biggest night in European football is upon us, and history is bound to be made in what is expected to be a memorable night. For the first time in the Champions League’s history, two teams from the same city will be contesting for the prize in the final, as Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid continue their season long duel. La Liga winners and the Copa Del Rey winners come head to head in what has already been a positive successful season for them, with the Champions League crown now the only, and perhaps the most important, goal to achieve.
Champions League Final Odds
Real Madrid 23/20
Draw 12/5
Atletico Madrid 14/5
Diego Simeone and his Atletico (13/8 to lift the trophy) side overcame the seemingly impossible obstacle of dethroning Bercelona and Real Madrid from the top of the Spanish league, securing the title in a title decider against Barcelona over the weekend, thus becoming the first side outside of the two traditional Spanish powerhouses to lift the title. Their season could very well prove to be perfect should they be able to lift the title on Saturday night in Benfica, and record their first Champions League crown.
Real (2/7 to lift the trophy) recovered from a mid-season wobble to challenge for the title, just falling short in the end, but achieved perhaps their most important season goal: to reach the Champions League final. In his first season in charge of the Madrid giants, Carlo Ancelotti was tasked with delivering in Europe, and he has been near faultless thus far, Real’s dominant victory over reigning Champions and favourites Bayern Munich in the semis proving his sides credentials to make it all the way, and probably installing the rightful favourites for the final.
Real Madrid have the added incentive of aiming to be the first team in history to be crowned the champions of Europe for the first time, and for the first time since 2002, when a Zinedine Zidane strike was enough to knock Bayer Leverkusen out. There will be little to choose from in the final, with two teams that know each other very well going head to head.
Real will be missing Xabi Alonso through suspension, but are expected to have their star duo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale fit for the game, after both players were in doubt earlier in the week. Atletico, meanwhile, are sweating on the fitness of their top scorer Diego Costa, after he looked in some discomfort at the end of the Barcelona game, but Simeone will justifiably wait until the last possible moment to rule him out, as with Arda Turan, who is also in doubt.
Visit the official Champions League website to keep up with the latest.
Tagged With : Atletico Madrid • Carlo Ancelotti • Champions League • Diego Simeone • Real Madrid