Champions League Review: Real’s €1b hunt complete

It was the first time that Real featured in a final since their triumph in 2002.

KARACHI:

Lisbon played host to the first ever derby final in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and it was perhaps fitting that Real Madrid triumphed 4-1 over city rivals Atletico Madrid to finally achieve the long awaited La Decima; their 10th UCL title.

For more than 100 minutes, Atletico went shoulder to shoulder with the might of Real and had it not been for a last gasp equaliser from Sergio Ramos, Atletico may have won it in normal time.

Portugal demons haunt Ronaldo

No player in modern football has improved himself as much as Cristiano Ronaldo has. On the night when he returned to the city where it all started, having broken Lionel Messi’s record of most goals in a UCL season, the improvements were remarkable.

Gone was the wiry overindulgent 17-year-old who had made his debut at Lisbon in 2002, a few months after Real had won their ninth UCL. In his stead was the world’s lethal striker; the complete attacker. It is a credit to his determination, professionalism and hunger that a man once branded as a big game flop is now the only player to have scored in the UCL final for two different winning sides.

However, his return to Portugal was reminiscent of the old Ronaldo rather than the new and improved one. Starved of the ball throughout the match, his only contribution before the last minute penalty were two free kicks hit straight at Thibaut Courtois. His evening was summed up when he attempted a long-range shot in extra time but instead slipped, sending the effort harmlessly wide.

Even though he was the best player in the UCL this season, on Saturday when it mattered the most, he was perhaps the worst outfield player from the two sides.

The genius of Ancelotti

Having previously won two titles with AC Milan, Carlo Ancelotti is the joint holder of the most successful Champions League coach title alongside Liverpool’s Bob Paisley. And he has deserved it.

His first success was also against local rivals, when Milan defeated Juventus on penalties in an all-Italian affair. In 2007, he defeated Liverpool in a repeat of the 2005 Istanbul final. Now he has masterminded his way to a third title and this would have been as satisfying, if not more so, than the previous two.  In his first season in charge of Real, Ancelotti has shown why sacking Jose Mourinho was the right decision last year, having romped Pep Gaurdiola’s Bayern Munich side in the semis, a hurdle Mourinho failed to overcome in his largely unsuccessful Madrid stint.

The decision to keep Di Maria

Ancelotti says the biggest mistake of his managerial career was selling Thierry Henry to Arsenal and when he sold Mesut Ozil to the same team, many believed that Arsene Wenger had once again gotten one over Ancelotti. However, it seemed that the Italian had learnt from his previous mistake.

His decision to sell Ozil over Angel DiMaria seemed bizarre at the time but the Argentine has vindicated it. DiMaria has been one of the best players for Real this season and has saved his best for the big games, having been the standout player for his team in the Copa del Ray final.

He rose to the occasion once more and was by far the best player in a white shirt. And it was DiMaria who made the telling contribution in extra time; his incredible run through the heart of Atletico’s defence ending in Gareth Bale heading home the rebound.

He broke down into tears as soon as the final whistle blew and while many players ran to Sergio Ramos for having scored the equaliser, had it not been for DiMaria conjuring up extinguished reserves, the match may well have gone to the lottery of penalties.

The substitutions

While it will be Diego Costa’s substitution after less than 10 minutes into the match that will long be discussed, it was the replacements that Ancelotti made that really changed the game.

The double change to bring on Isco and Marcelo allowed Real to really dominate Atletico in the final half-hour as they camped inside their opponents half with Marcelo playing like an extra winger.

The Brazilian was a livewire after his introduction and scored the goal that killed off the match.

The €100 million man

Before the match, Ramos praised Bale for ‘having laughed at the pressure’ that came along with his price-tag. However, the pressure was palpable as he missed three gilt edged chances to equalise, chances on his left foot at that.

He was ultimately in the right place at the right time though, heading home the winner from a tight angle, albeit into an empty net.

As any Madridista would happily tell you, the man who scored the winning goal in both the UCL and Copa del Ray finals is worth every penny of his transfer fee.

Casillas’ personal La Decima

“La Decima is so important, it’s more so than the World Cup,” Real and Spain captain Iker Casillas told reporters. And Casillas has now won a personal La Decima; winning 10 major finals for cup and country out of the 11 that he has played in.

It was his mistake that gave Atletico the lead and the skipper’s relief was apparent when he kissed Ramos on the cheeks as a token of gratitude at the end of normal time.

Ramos’ Madrid journey

Ramos was signed from Sevilla for around €27 million, the record for a Spanish teenager. His start to life at Madrid was tough, being used mainly as a right-back. The impatient Madridistas often turned against him, booing him when he received the ball and he came close to an exit more than once as the calls for his head increased. However, he is now a mainstay in the heart of the defence and his telling brace against Bayern in the semis and his equaliser at the death means that the defender has played as big a part as anyone in achieving history with Madrid.

Atletico would die for Simeone

Diego Simeone said after the match that he ‘was not angry, but bitter’ at the referee’s decision to add five extra minutes at the end of the second half. Having come so close to achieving the impossible, Ramos’ goal would haunt Simeone for some time to come but the commitment shown by his men cannot be questioned.

Their effort was summed up by Juanfran who, despite carrying an injury and a prominent limp, continued to close down the likes of DiMaria and Marcelo.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2014.

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