Madrid Derby for the Champions League Final Will Likely Be the Game of the Year
Nicholas Spiller
The city of Madrid, Spain is both beautiful and historical. Madrid is one of Europe's finest cities and hosts one of the all time famous soccer clubs, Real Madrid. Winners of numerous trophies (32 La Liga titles and 9 Champions League triumphs), they are widely heralded as the greatest soccer team on the planet!
Meanwhile, another club in the same town, Atletico Madrid, has always played second fiddle. They are a respectable team with a worker's mentality. They are often known for selling their star players and are usually present in the Champions League competition, though they have never actually won it. But in their own way, Atletico too is a decent team and has earned 9 La Liga titles over the years. Nevertheless, they have always remained under Real Madrid's massive shadow.
But all that could be set to change as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will meet in the UEFA Champions League Final in Lisbon on May 24th. While the clubs have battled each other for regional supremacy and bragging rights several times a year since 1928, this game will be by far the biggest occasion that the sides have met.
What it means is that Atletico Madrid has the chance to win the biggest game of them all over their rivals and put a massive dent in Real's claim to fame. With a wonderful lineup and a coach that has the players battling and fighting to win each game, Atletico Madrid could very well be poised to earn a very special victory for the club.
The star man at Atletico these days is Diego Costa. Physically strong, fast, and capable of scoring from all over the penalty area, this man has exploded onto the soccer scene in the past two seasons. At the ripe age of 25, he has the potential to quickly become the best striker in the world if he can continue with his impressive form. Right now, everyone wants him. Chelsea currently lead the chase for his signature, but there will certainly be a host of big-spending, top level clubs interested in him like PSG, Manchester City, Arsenal, and perhaps even Barcelona or Real Madrid.
At the international level, dispute has also risen over his services for the upcoming 2014 World Cup! Born in Brazil, Diego Costa had actually earned his first call-up to the national team last year. Imagine what a delightful striker partnership he could have had with Neymar! But since he has played most of his professional career in Spain, Costa opted for Spanish citizenship and has since chosen to represent their national team.
Such a move has been deemed treasonous by the Brazilian media and will surely add controversy to World Cup in Brazil. But as far as the point that I'm trying to make for how talented a player Diego Costa is goes, with top clubs (and countries) fighting for him, he is clearly a man at the top of his game!
But of course Real Madrid isn't without their top stars either. Cristiano Ronaldo is arguably the best player in the world, and his incoming record transfer fee teammates Gareth Bale isn't the shabbiest protégé around either. Both Ronaldo and Bale are capable of the incredible goal-scoring play at any moment and can simply terrorize a defense. And so if star power is what you seek, this game clearly has got it!
But who will win it? One thing that points in Atletico Madrid's favor is that despite their smaller wage bill, they actually possess the better team on the pitch at the moment. While both Spanish superpowers Barcelona and Real Madrid have struggled this season, Atletico has seized upon the opportunity and could claim the La Liga title as well. It has been 10 long years since a Spanish team other than either Real Madrid or Barcelona has won the league, and Atletico's current run shows a team full of character and desire to attain to such a feat!
Atletico Madrid's manager Diego Simeone must be praised for the work ethic he has instilled in this team. The players are true fighters and are ever hungry for the ball. They have talent as well though, evidenced by famous star players like Gabi, Arda Turan, Raul Garcia, and Adrian Lopez. Young goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also been a sensational player in this year that is becoming more and more magical each week. But what makes the side click is their unity and devotion to fight for the ball. It is blatantly obvious from the start of every match that Atletico will play tough and with an eye for goal!
Meanwhile Real Madrid is all about the flair associated with the game's best players. Trickery and majestic counter-attacks are their style, and their ability to score every type of goal in a very quick move is incredible.
Real Madrid also carry the crest upon their shirts that is iconic for football fans worldwide.
And while this certainly sounds like a delightful game in the making, how could such a match actually be more exciting than the World Cup Final? The reasons are actually numerous. First off, the club sides generally play better soccer than international teams because they play so many more games throughout the year.
These are people that know each others' games inside and out. Next, there is the drama surrounding a derby match among rivals. These players hate each other far more than and international rivalry could understand. Expect wild antics and dramatic confrontations to be rampant in this match! In all likelihood the city of Madrid will be the scene of many scuffles and potential riots between the celebrating fans and those bemoaning their loss following the game.
But back to the field, this match harbors a storyline supreme with ideological visions. This is the blue-collar, hard working squad in red and white stripes taking on the privileged rich and superior class dressed in pristine, all-white jerseys.
This is little David's chance to conquer Goliath once and for all. Sure, Real Madrid will always be the leaders in the Madrid derby head to head records, but if Atletico Madrid can win this one single game, the most important of the derby's history, they will have won the one that mattered most, and that would mean justice for eternity.
While Real Madrid will feel the pressure to assert their top qualities, Atletico Madrid will be hungry and ready to do battle on the greatest stage of club soccer. The world will be tuning in to see if a miraculous feat can be achieved. The Champions League Final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is going to be a match for the ages, and I suspect that Atletico just might be able to squeak by with a famous 2-1 victory!
© Nicholas Spiller & Soccerphile.com
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