,UEFA Champions League: Real Madrid
4 Atletico Madrid 1 (aet)
Diego Simeone stormed the pitch after Atletico Madrid collapsed in farcical scenes as city rivals Real Madrid
won the UEFA Champions League.
Simeone – who last Saturday led Atletico to their first La Liga title since 1996 – was sent off in the dying stages of extra time after running onto the field to confront Real Madrid players shortly after Cristiano Ronaldo completed the scoring in his side's 4-1 victory in the all-Spanish
final.
The fiery Argentinian appeared to exchange angry words
with Real defender Raphael Varane after watching his
side capitulate late on in Lisbon.
Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Ronaldo all scored in the last 10
minutes as Real producing a stirring comeback to win the
competition for a record 10th time.
Extra time looked unlikely after Diego Godin nodded
Atletico in front towards the end of the first half, giving
them a lead they held until the 93rd minute.
Carlo Ancelotti's men dug deep, though, and finally saw a
significant spell of sustained pressure rewarded when
Sergio Ramos headed in a corner to force an additional
30 minutes.
After the first period of extra time ended goalless and
Simeone confronted referee Bjorn Kuipers, Atletico, visibly
struggling, folded, as Bale – scorer of Real's extra-time
winner in last month's Copa del Rey final – popped up at
the far post to nod his side in front in the 110th minute.
Marcelo then rifled in a third with two minutes to play
before Ronaldo's penalty sparked shameful scenes from
Simeone.
Victory means Ancelotti has now won the trophy as coach
on three occasions, making him the most successful
manager in the competition's history, while Atletico were
left to rue another late goal in European football's
showpiece. The club's only other final appearance, in
1974, saw Bayern Munich force a replay – which they
won 4-0 - with a 120th-minute goal.
Much of the pre-match talk surrounded the fitness of
stars Ronaldo and Diego Costa, but both started, although
Arda Turan was not so lucky and missed out with a knee
problem.
Simeone's experiment to start Costa – who travelled to
Serbia for specialist treatment on a niggling hamstring
injury in the build-up – quickly backfired, though, as the
striker limped off in the ninth minute and was replaced by
Adrian Lopez.
Chances were few and far between in a cagey first 30
minutes before a sloppy Tiago error saw the contest come
to life, with the midfielder conceding possession in his
own half, only for Bale, after a menacing run, to shoot
wide.
And Bale's missed chance proved costly in the 36th
minute as Godin gave Atletico the lead against the run of
play.
Real failed to clear a corner and Juanfran's header back
into the box caught them napping, meaning goalkeeper
Iker Casillas had to come storming off his line.
He was too late to win the ball, though, and agonisingly
saw Godin beat Sami Khedira and put a looping header
over him and, eventually, over the line, despite his best
efforts.
Thibaut Courtois had to be alert to tip over a deflected
Ronaldo free-kick in the 54th minute and the Real
talisman spurned two more opportunities in the next 60
seconds, firing a snapshot wide before producing a
wayward header.
Ancelotti's men kept pressing as Isco missed the target
with a long-range effort and although Atletico were still a
threat on the counter-attack, they were forced back as
Real ramped up the pressure in the last 20 minutes.
First, Bale lashed wide before Ronaldo fired over with a
scissor-kick and the chances kept coming as another
storming run from the former ended with an errant shot.
Desperate blocks were the order of the day as far as
Atletico were concerned, but Real's perseverance
eventually paid off as Ramos superbly planted a header in
the bottom-left corner from Luka Modric's corner to force
extra time.
And the added half-hour proved crucial as Real took the
lead with 10 minutes remaining through Bale, who raced
to the far post after Angel di Maria's shot was partially
saved to head in.
Marcelo then made his mark before Ronaldo, who had
already claimed the record for the most strikes in a
Champions League season, sealed victory with his 17th
goal of his European campaign.
