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Saturday 28 May 2016

REAL MADRID VS ATLETICO MADRID MATCH REPORT.

It was a game of experience as Madrid came with a direct approach with Bale and Ronaldo running on both flanks.
Not long the set pieces started to treacle in.
Madrid threatened on some occasions, and the wait will not be for long as it took 15 minutes for Sergio Ramos to open scoring.
But Carrasco will not let the sleeping dog lie as he struck in the 79th minutes. All thanks to the intelligent cross by Juanfran 
First half:
The game started with Madrid piling up the pressure on their opponents Atletico.
Jan Oblak produced a stunning close range save from Casemiro after six minutes via Gareth Bale's free-kick delivery
But not so long the dead luck was broken, Bale flicked on Toni Kroos' set piece and Sergio Ramos helped the ball into the net for the opener after 15 minutes
It was a ding dung affair as Madrid bossed the ball possession until Antoine Griezmann was caught offside by the referee after firing his shot at Keylor Navas' goal.
The game continued being cagey as at seemed no one was willing to make mistakes.
The first half wined down seeing Atletico settling in to the game but the clear cut chances was not forth coming.
Griezmann was by far the most dangerous player for Atletico in the first half but Luka Modric and his Real team-mates kept him at bay
Second half:
The second 45 started the way any Atletico fan would have wanted, a penalty was awarded to Atletico.
Pepe fouled Fernando Torres inside the box but Antoine Griezmann slammed penalty against the underside of the bar.
The match continued with a lot of missed chances here and there from both teams.
Ronaldo lets fly with a speculative effort but the Portuguese forward was unable to find a third goal in Champions League finals
As it is often said, if you don't take your chances, you might just be thought how to do it on the other side.
This saying prooved to be the case as Substitute Yannick Carrasco levelled for Atletico after a brilliant cross from Juanfran with 11 minutes remaining.
After regulation time, Mark Clattenburg signaled for the end of the 90.
Extra time commenced with a lot of tired legs, this made Diego Simeone make two forced substitutions.

Then there came the much dreaded penalty shoot out before us.
With tensions rising, it was clear that the one with the calmer nerves will take the day.
After three spot kicks each, it was all about how good the kicks were.
But it went all sour for Atletico in the forth round of kicks.
Sergio Ramos dispatched his with a touch of class, but it wasn't to be for the impressive Juanfran as he saw his kick safed by the bar.
There came the defining moment as it all lied on Ronaldo to hand the title to Madrid.
With a touch of class and assurance, Ronaldo dispatched and handed the title to Madrid.
Some how, he is destined to dominate, even when not at his best. A season which has often been chaotic, haphazard and saw Rafa Benitez dismissed and a rookie coach appointed in Zinedine Zidane, ends in a historic achievement.

As for their cross city rivals, Atletico, it ends desperately again. In 1974 they came within minutes; in 2014, against Real Madrid, they came within seconds. Last night they came within a penalty kick from this trophy.
MATCH FACTS 

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Navas; Carvajal (Danilo 51), Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Casemiro, Kroos (Isco 72), Modric; Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema (Lucas 76).

Subs not used: Nacho, Rodriguez, Casilla, Jese

Goal: Ramos 15

Booked: Carvajal, Navas, Casemiro, Ramos, Danilo 

Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Filipe Luis (Gomez 109); Saul, Gabi, Augusto (Carrasco 46), Koke (Thomas 116); Griezmann, Torres.

Subs not used: Moya, Mendes, Correa, Gimenez

Goal: Carrasco 79 

Booked: Torres, Gabi 

Referee: Mark Clattenburg Ratings FROM PETE JENSON AT THE SAN SIRO

Real Madrid: 4-3-3

Navas 7

Handled shots from distance well and was rarely tested from closer in until Carrasco’s equalizer.

Carvajal 6

Very late challenge on Griezmann early on and poor in possession at times. Went off injured in the second half.

Ramos 7

Another Champions League and another goal. Took a yellow for the team with Atletico's last attack too and buried his penalty.

Pepe 6

Kicked Torres clumsily for what could have been costly penalty. Then some play-acting in the second half that Clattenburg never fell for.

Marcelo 6

A relatively easy first half against an Atletico Madrid side that doesn’t play with wingers. Struggled as soon as Juanfran started over-lapping from full-back.

Kroos 7

Perfect deliver for the free-kick. Taken off in the second half as he slowed but the game’s tempo did not.

Casemiro 7

He tackles everything that moves’ Bale told MailSport this week, and so it was for most of the game.

Modric 8

Skill, speed, precision of passing. Showed class at the end too by walking the length of the pitch to console Gabi.

Bale 8.5

Monstered Atletico from the first minute. Immense going forward and breathless tracking back too. Tired at the end but scored his spot-kick.

Ronaldo 7

Worked as hard as Bale in tracking back every time Real lost possession but over-elaborated too often most tellingly just before Atletico scored. Still ended up the hero.

Benzema 7

Led the line so well pulling Atletico defenders out of position. They missed him when he was replaced

Subs:

Isco 6

Danilo 6

Needed early in the second half after Carvajal pulled up and did not let anyone down.

Vazquez 6 

Lively late on and such a cool spot-kick.

Atletico Madrid:

Oblak 7

Could do nothing to stem the white tide early on. It felt as if he was going to bundled in with the ball every time Real attacked. Great second half save from Benzema.

Juanfran 7

Posed no attacking threat in the first half but that changed in the second 45 minutes – great cross for the goal. So hard on him to be fall-guy in the shoot-out.

Savic 6

The former Manchester City defender suffered in the early Madrid bombardment. Real’s 200m pounds forward line was just too much.

Godin 7

Pushing a piano up a hill in the early stages but kept going and held Atletico together when they were most frail.

Filipe Luis 6

Could not deal with Bale. He’s quick and he’s strong but the Welshman was quicker and stronger.

Saul 7

One second half volley went close. A great talent that Atletico will not want to lose to the Premier League.

Gabi 7

Lost in the early stages as the charge of the white brigade overwhelmed Atletico Madrid but grew into the game as they launched the comeback.

Fernandez 6

Held his head above water with quick feet and intelligent possession early although but then began to give the ball away and was sacrificed at half time.

Koke 7

Like Saul he improved in the second half as Atletico found another gear just as it seemed they were going down without a fight.

Griezmann 8

Did his best to keep Navas’ hands warm in the first period and was superb as they forced the equalizer. Not a terrible penalty but missed all the same then made amends in the shoot-out.

Torres 7

The local boy forced the spot-kick but struggled to impose himself in open play. His head never dropped though. Didn't want to leave the pitch at the end. Tearful.

Subs

Carrasco 8

Gave Atletico another dimension when he came on. Immense and could have won it but was chopped down by Ramos.

Diego Simeone 7

Made the change he needed to at half time. Also called for them to stay calm when it seemed they might lose the game before the break.

Zinedine Zidane 7

Was calm and cool pre-match and yet sent his team out full of fire in the first half. Made his changes too early though. Great first four months in the job however.

Ref: Mark Clattenburg 6 

Too lenient early on but called the penalty correctly. Won’t be on Simeone’s Christmas card list however.

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