Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid : Five things to watch for
By Vijay Vemu
2. Will a win validate Real Madrid’s season?
Real Madrid was disqualified from the Copa Del Rey and missed out on La Liga but have a chance of still getting silverware if they win the Champions League. They had a chance at the Spanish double but lost out the Spanish crown to FC Barcelona, who won their second straight league trophy. But according to Cristiano Ronaldo, he isn’t worried about that. In an interview with Spanish website Jugones LaSexta, Ronaldo said that he would rather win the UCL than the Spanish double (Quotes via ESPNFC).
“If we win the Champions [League] it is worth much more than Barca’s Double. The Champions is a dream.”
In a place where success is expected every time you step on the pitch, this almost feels like a must win for Real Madrid. The last time they had a trophyless season Carlos Ancelotti, who was regarded as one of the best managers in Europe, was let go and replaced by Rafa Benitez. Certainly a Champions League victory would erase some of the domestic troubles Real Madrid has endured the past couple of years. But to say that the UCL is more than the Spanish Double may not exactly be true.
One has to wonder what the future for Zinedine Zidane will look like if he loses this final. Losing the Champions League final to your rivals will sting and it will also signal another trophyless season at the Santiago Bernabeu. If Ancelotti got the ax, Zidane may be next.
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