Madrid v Madrid UEFA Champions League Final

City neighbours host a final in Lisbon's Estadio da Luz and it is a tournament first.  Not exactly the teams I expected to be the last two standing but they sure are deserving of their final births.

Few would have thought it would take them this long just to reach a Uefa Champions League (UCL) Final again let alone to win it. It's been 12 long years since that now iconic volley in May 2012, much too long for the record UCL winners. ‎

In stark contrast to Real's 9 UCL titles Atlètico only ever took part in one UCL Final 40 years ago and have never won it. They boast a budget 20% of that which the super powers that be Real Madrid and Barcelona FC have at their disposal not to mention not having the illustrious footballers in their squad. Yet they find themselves La Liga Champions and some would say against all odds yet stand on the brink of sealing their names next to some of  the games greatest achievements.
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It has been quite a remarkable return to Atlètico Madrid for coach Diego Simeone a former player,  taking a mid table financially strained football club to Europa League success as well as just missing out on a spot in the UCL. Next he decimated Chelsea in the Super Cup final, ended La Liga in 3rd and winning the Copa del Rey. Should Simeone's men win today he will have won five of the major finals available to clubs in Spain in less than three years.‎
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Real Madrid and manager Carlo Ancelotti will have something to say about that especially since they would be feeling they let La Liga slip away from them this year. Even more reason for the spanish kings to do all they can to win their 10th UCL crown.‎

Though I don't like to talk about the possible big name omissions for both teams but it could have a huge say in the result. Real Madrid's Portuguese pairing of Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo may not be available but it would take a ten ton truck to keep Ronaldo off the park even if he is not fully fit, Pepe looks more likely to miss out as Ancelotti hinted that young Raphael Varane is a shoe-in to start next to Ramos.

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Xabi Alonso is suspended though that isn't such a bad thing as stats show Madrid have won a 80% of their games without him in the starting eleven compared to 65.2% when he starts in La Liga this season, but they will miss him. Asier Illarramendi looks likely to benefit from Alonso's misfortune.

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Atlético could face Madrid without both Diego Costa and Arda Turan who were injured in the title decider at the Camp Nou last weekend. The magnitude of the loss of Diego Costa is best described by his stats this season he has scored 27 league goals and eight in eight in the UCL. The man that's likely to lead the line in his absence is David Villa, who hasn't been in sparkling form but big occasions bring out the best of big players and he is one such player.

Not to dwell on the absentees both teams will have but Atlético have the ability to cope much better without, than the Madrid team can and they have proved so over and over this season already.

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Simeone's men for me just look like it's written in the stars for them and wouldn't it just be poetic if the smallest of the current spanish top 3 pulls off an astonishing double.

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So there I've nailed my colours to the mast...

Jade Christopher Bentley Adams signing off (@jcba)‎
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