Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid: 2016 Champions League Final Preview

The San Siro has seen many trophies being lifted by its own clubs but this time it will witness one of the Madrid clubs being crowned the Champions League champions in the 2016 final.

These two teams locked horns in the 2013-14 Champions League final, which Real Madrid won 4-1 at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon and took home their tenth crown or La Decima under Carlo Ancelotti. The scoreline was misleading on the day as Atletico performed very well and it was only extremely late that Real were able to break Simeone’s team’s resilience.

Two years later, Simeone faces a different rival in Zinedine Zidane. Zidane took over from Rafa Benitez midway this season and the Real Madrid legend has done a good job so far.

After being denied the La Liga title, which went right down to the wire, both Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid’s ambition will be to get one of the most prestigious titles in football, the Champions League. The latest champions league betting tips and pundit predictions favour Real Madrid, but you can’t discount the threat that a rested, hungry Atletico side poses.

Real Madrid beat Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City to enter the finals while their Madrid rivals defeated PSV, Barcelona and Bayern Munich on their run to Milan.

There are doubts over Cristiano Ronaldo’s fitness which could be a massive thorn in Los Blanco’s side; however, it is expected that the superstar will be able to feature in the gigantic tie. Ronaldo is the key player for the side but if he is absent, the others have to step up, something that didn’t happen against Manchester City in the first leg.

For Atletico, Antoine Griezmann is the key player and the 25-year-old did score the decisive goal against Bayern Munich. Like his counterpart Ronaldo, the bulk of the burden of firing the side to glory would be with the Frenchman who would be expected to continue his fine form.

It would be a battle of Zinedine Zidane’s offensive and what has been dubbed as the beautiful brand of football against Diego Simeone’s rigorous and often unappealing style; style and finesse against grit and determination.