Uefa Champions League Final preview: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid…its game on

European club football’s biggest match of the season takes place at the San Siro in Milan on Saturday evening as Real Madrid take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in the 2015/16 Uefa Champions League Final.

In a repeat of the Final two seasons ago in which Los Blancos emerged 4-1 winners, Atletico Madrid will look to avenge that result and claim a maiden Champions League crown, while the Galacticos are targeting an unprecedented 11th European Cup crown to extend their impressive record in the competition.

Real Madrid

Unbeaten in their last ten games in all competitions, Real Madrid head to the San Siro in confident mood. Los Blancos are a revived outfit under coach Zinedine Zidane – who is hoping to become just the seventh person to win the Big Ears as player and coach – having overcome AS Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City in the knockout rounds following their unbeaten group stage run to book their place in a 14th Champions League Final. Los Blancos will however have to make do without defender Rafael Varane who is injured and unavailable for Saturday’s showdown.

UCL this season: DWWWWWLWDW
Goals scored: 27
Goals conceded: 5

Key player: Real Madrid’s goal-machine Cristiano Ronaldo has been at it again this season, netting 16 goals in the competition thus far. He needs just one more to equal his own record in the competition, while a goal on Saturday will make him the first player to score in three European Cup Finals.

Coach’s comments: “Atlético are special opponents; they’ve beaten the two other best teams in Europe, so it will be a very difficult game. They will defend really well as they always do, but I don’t think you can say that Atlético Madrid are a team that only defends; they play good football too, and can make it difficult for their opponents. We know that, we’ll prepare for it and we’ll try to play our game so that we don’t have any regrets at the end.” – Zinedine Zidane

Atletico Madrid

Atletico were 1-0 up in stoppage time in the Final two seasons ago, but ended up losing 4-1, and will be desperate to edge their bitter city rivals to their first-ever trophy. Unbeaten in the group stages, Atletico went to penalties against PSV in the Last 16 as they narrowly navigated their way through the Last 16, before flexing their muscles in overcoming continental heavyweights Bayern Munich and Barcelona en route to the final. Coach Diego Simeone has a fully fit squad to choose from for Saturday’s battle again their prestigious neighbours.

UCL this season: WDWWDDLWWL
Goals scored: 16
Goals conceded: 7

Key player: Antoine Griezmann has spearheaded the Atletico attack this season, plundering 32 goals in all competitions. He has seven to his name in the Champions League, and will no doubt be his side’s go-to man to pierce a stubborn Real defence that has conceded just five goals in 10 matches this campaign.

Coach’s comments: “To play a final is absolutely fantastic; to win it is even better. That experience makes you want to continue those moments. It’s not easy; you have to pick yourself up, keep inventing yourself, change the players but not change the commitment, the values, the work. If you keep working, you’re insistent, you can achieve things.” – Diego Simeone

Head-to-head

The two Spanish sides have met in 202 previous matches across all competitions, with Real Madrid enjoying the far better record with 102 wins compared to Atletico’s 51, with 49 encounters drawn. However, Atletico have not lost in domestic competition to their rivals in the last eight matches, winning five and drawing three.

In the League this season, Atletico earned a 1-1 draw at home to Los Blancos, before beating them 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in February.

Kick-off at the San Siro on Saturday is set for 20:45. Kickoff.com

Follow us on Twitter @FingazLive and on Facebook – The Financial Gazette