The Colombian remained on the bench during Real’s penalty shoot-out win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final in Milan on Saturday.
Advertisement
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane admits winning the Champions League is equal to lifting the World Cup in his footballing achievements. We’ve really worked hard, fought it out.
“I am very proud of the team and I am glad because it is a very important title for everybody and I have to thank the supporters, the club’s president [Florentino Perez], the coach [Zinedine Zidane], the players and today we are in Madrid’s history”.
“The boys gave everything – the club and the fans have been incredible on this journey and deserve it”, he said to BT Sport. “The club, the fans have been wonderful on this journey – we deserve it”. We share this Champions League with the fans. Subsequently, Atletico defender Juanfran missed the fourth penalty for his side, giving Ronaldo with a chance to seal victory for Real. “It’s impressive. I knew I was going to score the winning penalty; I was confident”.
“I think I could start thinking about my future”, Simeone said cryptically. I was number one in the team again, for most minutes. “I said to Zidane before the penalties, “Zidane, put me the last one because I feel I’m going to score the winning goal” so this is what happened”.
Cristiano Ronaldo stole the headlines with the winning kick in a penalty shootout in the Champions League final, more than compensating for what was a quiet game by his standards.
“It’s a moment for me to think about things”.
Having been the assistant to Carlo Ancelotti when the Italian coaching great steered Real to the 10th – “La Decima” – title in Lisbon two years ago, Zidane now gets a taste of the trophy for a third time after joining an elite few who have lifted the trophy as a player and a coach.
The prolific Portuguese did not look fully fit and was far from his best in the 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid but he slammed home his team’s decisive fifth penalty in the shootout to seal Real’s second Champions League final success over their local rivals in three years. That means a lot to me. In its two previous finals, Atletico gave up last-minute equalizing goals.
“What really hurts me is to see the hurt of the people who’ve paid to come here – I feel a bit responsible that I wasn’t able to give them what they wanted”. “I’m happy because I’m a part of this great club for a long time now. It’s the club that has made me the biggest in everything”, Zidane said in Spanish.
Advertisement
“[Head coach Zinedine] Zidane has done a phenomenal job”.
