Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid : Five things to watch for
By Vijay Vemu
1. Who will be the hero this time around?
The Champions League final creates heroes and villains. Players such as Sergio Ramos, Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, and Gareth Bale have made their name on the biggest stage in club football.
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Last time around it was a combination of Ramos and Bale who turned out to be Real Madrid’s saviors. Ramos had a header off a Luka Modric corner in stoppage time to grab the equalizer. After Diego Godin’s header in the first half, which stemmed from an error by Iker Casillas, Atletico looked all set to win the match and lift the trophy.
But that was quickly put on hold by Ramos who’s header was too quick for keeper Thibaut Courtois to react. Then Gareth Bale put Real Madrid ahead in extra time with a header into an empty net. Marcelo ran past a tired Atletico defense for the third while Ronaldo capped it all off with a penalty. In the end, it was a 4-1 win for Real Madrid although the game was much closer than the scoreline indicated.
But this final will have its story filled with twists and turns. It will be interesting to see who becomes the hero in this story. Will it be someone like Gabi or could it be Ronaldo this time? The stakes are high and everything is on the line in this Madrid derby clash in the UCL final.