The Frenchman has enjoyed special status since his wondrous volley against Bayer Leverkusen won the 2002 Champions League, although he must know Saturday’s shootout victory over Atletico Madrid does not guarantee him a long future at the club.
Advertisement
“The 11th is here”, fans chanted with many expected to wait for their heroes to return from Milan with the trophy at the Plaza de Cibeles – a traditional meeting point for Real’s trophy celebrations – in the heart of the city well after sunrise.
By contrast, Atletico were left with a frightful sense of deja vu as they were once again denied a first ever European Cup in agonising circumstances by their nearest and dearest rivals with goals bookended by Ramos and Ronaldo.
“It hurts to see the people who paid for the tickets and I couldn’t give them what they wanted”.
Players carried the Champions League trophy atop the bus, constantly showing it to the cheering fans.
Madrid took the lead after an early Ramos goal, but Atletico equalised in the second-half, through substitute Yannick Carrasco.
Ronaldo also won the Champions League in 2008 with Manchester United and, after his seventh season with Real, he reiterated that he wants to finish his career at the Bernabeu. “Complacency is not among the virtues of Real Madrid and now we are thinking of the 12th”, he added. They nearly played better. “We’re very proud of what we’ve done this year”. “He has changed the recent history of Real Madrid”.
Real Madrid player Sergio Ramos ties a Real Madrid flag around the neck of goddess Cibeles monument as the team arrives at Cibeles square after winning the Champions League final soccer match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, during a celebration parade in Madrid, Sunday, May 29, 2016.
Advertisement
“A supreme derby, exhausting, stifling”, wrote the AS sports newspaper.
