Penalties eventually decided the match at San Siro, with Cristiano Ronaldo firing his team to their 11th European Cup success after Juanfran missed from the spot.
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It’s been five months since Zinedine Zidane has been appointed as Real Madrid’s manager, making him the seventh man in history to win the Champions League as player and coach.
Zidane says he always believed his side would come out on top and extend their record number of wins in the Champions League to 11. Ronaldo came up to take the 5th penalty for Real which if scored they would have been crowned new champions and Ronaldo did exactly that.
Two years ago in Lisbon, Ramos was also the hero as his stoppage time equaliser to make it 1-1 sent the game into extra-time before Real romped to victory with three more goals in the extra 30 minutes.
Real captain Sergio Ramos, who converted their third penalty, said the title was “just reward” for his side’s hard work.
“But we showed that our team has more experience and we scored all the penalties”.
Almost 60,000 Real Madrid fans are in their home stadium in the Spanish capital watching their team play in the Champions League final.
Man-of-the-match Ramos said Zidane’s arrival in January following the sacking of Rafael Benitez was “really important for us”. “I’m very proud of my team-mates and we’ll continue fighting for our objectives, so we’ll keep dreaming”. It’s an unbelievable feeling, I can’t describe what it feels like.
It is the second time in three years that Real have defeated Atletico in the final.
Real Madrid were rewarded for their fast start in the 15th minute of action when Sergio Ramos tapped home from close range after Bale had flicked a Toni Kroos free kick towards the danger zone.
Fernando Torres, who had been anonymous in the first half, was tripped by Pepe inside the penalty area after the Portuguese defender misjudged his challenge.
A breathless spell followed as Atletico, leaving gaps at the back, had a series of dramatic escapes.
Ronaldo and Gareth Bale stayed on last night, even if it their fitness could have been questioned. Ronaldo was poor for much of the 120 minutes, missing a clear-cut headed chance but took responsibility of converting the match-winning penalty in the shootout.
That could have been the turning point, but instead Atletico ran out of steam.
It wasn’t a surprise but it was confirmation of Zidane’s preferences as a coach when Real Madrid announced their starting lineup.
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Real won the toss for the penalties and chose the end where their fans were based. But Atletico’s striker Juanfran missed his team’s fourth kick.
