Champions League final preview: can Real Madrid win their 11th European title?

Ten-time winners Real Madrid will take on cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid in the 2016 Champions League on May 28th at the San Siro in Milan for the chance to be crowned European champions. Four Brazilians will be involved in proceedings, three from Real and one from Atletico, as the most important trophy in European club […]
by
sambafoot_admin
2016-05-27 19:47:00

Ten-time winners Real Madrid will take on cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid in the 2016 Champions League on May 28th at the San Siro in Milan for the chance to be crowned European champions.

Four Brazilians will be involved in proceedings, three from Real and one from Atletico, as the most important trophy in European club football prepares to return to the Spanish capital. If you are betting on the game, the smart choice is to put your betting bonus or signup offer towards a Ronaldo goal, but as far as picking the winner is concerned it is very difficult to predict. Madrid is guaranteed to be the home for the famous ‘big ears" trophy for the 2016/17 season, with this the second time a Champions League final will be contested by two sides from the same city. The first was in the 2o14 final, also between the same two La Liga sides, with Real emerging 4-1 winners over their bitter rivals after extra time. Brazilian full-back and Real vice-captain Marcelo scored the third goal for Los Blancos, surging through the middle and seeing his rasping drive fly in off the palms of Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois. It was the goal that all but sealed Real Madrid"s tenth Champions League title, La Decima, with Marcelo certainly one of the most influential players at the club and one of the most respected full-backs in world football.

The 28-year-old joined the club from Fluminense in 2007 and has played 360 games for Los Blancos, winning three La Ligas and two Copa del Reys to go with his 2013/14 Champions League medal. Bar a last minute injury, he is guaranteed to start the final on the 28th, with compatriot Casemiro also in line to join him after a recent upturn in form and fortune. After initially struggling to break into the first team following his €6m move from Sao Paulo in 2013, the 24-year-old has enjoyed an extended period in the side under new manager Zinedine Zidane. The defensive midfielder missed the second leg of the Real"s aggregate win over Manchester City in the semi-final with a muscle injury but played the 90 in the first match and also in the two quarter-final legs against German side Wolfsburg. Casemiro has also regularly started matches in La Liga under Zidane, alongside Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the centre of midfield, and will be confident of making the starting XI in Milan at the end of the month.

The same cannot be said for the third Brazilian at Real Madrid, Danilo. The 24-year-old, who arrived in the summer from Portuguese side Porto, hasn"t featured for Los Blancos in the Champions League since their shock 2-0 quarter final first leg loss to Wolfsburg, with Zidane opting for Daniel Carvajal in his place from then on. Real Madrid are the most successful side in the history of the Champions League with ten trophies, while Atletico are still searching for their maiden title after finishing as runners-up in both 2014 and 1974.

Filipe Luis was part of the side that lost in extra-time to Real two years ago before moving to Premier League side Chelsea that summer for a brief and unsuccessful stint in England. He has since returned to the Spanish capital and reclaimed the left-back spot in Diego Simeone"s side, playing a crucial role in Los Colchoneros" run to the 2016 final. The 30-year-old has admitted he struggled with the loss to Real in 2014, but is looking forward to having another chance to make history: "I spent several days thinking about the end of that match, unable to sleep," the Brazil international told Globo. "[But] I do not consider this a chance for revenge, because most of the players who were in that final are not there today. "I consider a new opportunity that life is giving to us a new chance to win this trophy. It is against Real Madrid, but could be against any other team. "We can write our names in the history of football, and that is the philosophy we will take onto the field in the final."