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Champions League: Real claim 11th title over Atletico

Ryan Moran
Football

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By Ryan Moran

  • Los Blancos’ second title in three years.
  • Atletico taste defeat at second time of asking again to Real.
  • Britwatch Sports compile the best XI from both teams.

 

MILAN, ITALY- A 5-4 victory on penalties after 120 minutes sealed an 11th Champions League title for Real Madrid. A goal apiece left the sides’ fate in the hands of the shoot out with Cristiano Ronaldo netting the eventual winner.

Britwatch Football: Full Results, Fixtures, Tables & More

Jan Oblak

The Atletico Madrid goalkeeper prevented Real Madrid from claiming an 11th Champions League title within 90 minutes. A double save from Cristiano Ronaldo kept Los Rojiblancos in the tie. In essence, the Slovenian kept the tie alive.

Danilo

The Brazilian added a spark to Los Blancos’ wide play, pushing high from full back. In the dieing moments of extra time Danilo delivered a number of crosses, one after the other, that asked questions of atleti’s back four.

Sergio Ramos

The Real defender opened the scoring at the San Siro. The close range finish was his second goal in a Champions league final, the first defender to achieve this feat. The best player at the San Siro.

Diego Godin

The veteran defender threw himself at everything as the red and whites held on in the final few minutes. Block after block, the Atletico wall stood strong, commanded by Diego Godin himself who looked understandably heartbroken at the final whistle.

Juanfran

The full back assisted a patient passing move for Atletico, consisting of 20 passes, with a deft volley to find Yannick Carrasco. The Spaniard did, however, miss his penalty, the only miss of the 10 taken.

Yannick Carrasco

A close range finish from Juanfran’s volleyed cross pulled Atletico level and took the game to extra time. The winger is also the first Belgian to score in the final. An inspired substitution by Diego Simeone, Carrasco earned his side an extra 30 minutes to claim victory, and avenge the result of two years ago.

Luka Modric 

The Croatian played the full game and dominated in the central areas, even when his side were against the odds. An inferior second half Real performance allowed Atletico back in but the ex-Tottenham midfielder was a level above his opposite numbers in a poor performance by their city rivals.

Casemiro

The young midfielder showed great maturity on the big occasion, being denied a goal by the on form Jan Oblak in the opposing goal.

Gareth Bale

A star performer in the first half, he started to feel the effects of the occasion in the latter stages of normal time. The Welshman seemed to be Real’s likeliest chance of scoring. Bale also had a shot cleared off the line late in the second half.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese midfielder looked far from Ballon d’or quality on the night but stepped up to finish with aplomb, after Juanfran’s miss. A cool, calm and collected finish, under immense pressure, showed the quality of an attacker breaking down the wall put up in front of him as he recovers from an injury.

Antoine Griezmann

The Frenchman showed great courage to step up to take a penalty in the shoot out after being denied a goal from the spot during regular time. An off day by Atletico was influenced by a lack of intent up front but Antoine Griezmann righted his wrongs when given a second chance.

Zinedine Zidane

The Real manager became the first Frenchman to manage a side to the Champions League trophy. A tense tie ended with Los Blancos earning an 11th title with Zinedine Zidane also becoming the seventh man to win the competition as player and manager.

A European Super Cup tie against Sevilla awaits at the Lerkendal Stadium in Norway on 9th August.