BackReal Madrid vs Atletico Madrid sixth Champions League final to feature teams from same country
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will be part of an elite club, where teams from the same league have come up against each other in the final of the Champions League
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Later this month, the fierce city rivalry between La Liga teams Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will light up the legendary San Siro stadium in Milan. A day after a gritty Atletico overcame Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, Real Madrid booked their place in the final, thanks to a 20th minute own goal from Manchester City’s Fernando at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Champions League final to be played later this month, will come after a close title race, where second placed Atletico currently lead Real Madrid by a solitary point with two games to go. Defending league champions FC Barcelona currently lead the table, albeit level on points with Atletico.
The two teams will be part of an elite club, where teams from the same league have come up against each other in the final of the Champions League in its 60-year history (including its previous European Cup avatar). Two years ago, these two teams met in the 2013/14 Champions League final at the Bernabeu, with Real clinching their 10th title (or the la decima) in extra time.
Here’s a list of Champions League finalists (and winners) from the same league:
Real Madrid vs Valencia (2000)
The two La Liga teams clashed in the 2000 Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris. While Real overcame Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, Valencia defeated fellow Spanish team Barcelona en route to the final. The final saw a comprehensive 3-0 win to Real, thanks to goals from Fernando Morientes (39th minute), Steve McManaman (67th minute) and Raul (75th minute). Madrid were coached by Vicente del Bosque, who would go on to win another Champions League title two years later, before being sacked immediately thereafter.
AC Milan vs Juventus (2003)
Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus met in the 2003 Champions League final at Old Trafford, in what was the second ever intra-national final of the tournament. AC Milan won the match via a penalty shoot-out, after the game finished 0-0 at the end of extra time. Juventus missed three (David Trezeguet, Marcelo Zalayeta and Paolo Montero), while Milan missed two (Clarence Seedorf and Kakha Kaladzhe). Ukrainian Andrey Shevchenko scored the winning penalty for Milan, ensuring a sixth Champions League/European Cup for the legendary Italian club.
Manchester United vs Chelsea (2008)
The domestic rivalry between Manchester United and Chelsea hit its absolute peak in May 2008, when the two teams met at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. It was the first time Russia hosted the final, and assumed an added significance, given the nationality of the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. United opened the scoring in the 25th minute through Cristiano Ronaldo, before Frank Lampard equalised for Chelsea in the 45th minute, just on the stroke of half-time. At the end of 90 minutes, the two teams were locked at 1-1, with the match heading into extra time. Chelsea were reduced to ten men, after Ivorian striker Didier Drogba was sent off for slapping United’s Nemanja Vidic. It was down to penalties, and Chelsea led United 3-2 after Ronaldo missed his shot. However, United got a lease of life right at the end, after Chelsea captain John Terry slipped and skied his penalty shot, taking the shoot-out to sudden-death. Right after Ryan Giggs scored what would be United’s winning penalty, Nicholas Anelka missed from the spot, with his kick saved by Edwin van der Sar, giving United their second Champions League triumph.
Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund (2013)
Back then, it was seen a classic underdog story, with Dortmund, the new German footballing power, taking on the mighty Bayern Munich. Bayern were making their second consecutive appearance in the final, with Juup Heynckes’ men losing out to Chelsea on penalties in 2012. The two Bundesliga teams met in Wembley, and Bayern went ahead in the 60th minute through Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic. Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan equalised eight minutes later through a penalty. But it was Bayern’s Arjen Robben who broke many a neutral (and Dortmund) heart with his late winner in the 89th minute, to give the Bavarian club their fifth Champions League trophy.
Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (2014)
The Estadio du Luz (or the Stadium of Light) in Lisbon hosted the 2014 final, which featured Madrid rivals Real and Atletico. It was the first Champions League final to feature teams from the same city, and the second all-Spanish final after 2000. Atletico led for the most part of the match, thanks to captain Diego Godin’s header in the 36th minute. Their otherwise resolute defence was heartbreakingly breached in the 93rd minute when Sergio Ramos headed Real level. Ramos’ goal took the game to extra time, but effectively, it killed Atletico’s spirit. Within moments, they were shredded apart, with goals from Gareth Bale (110th minute), Marcelo (118th minute) and Cristiano Ronaldo (120th minute) took Real to their long-awaited ‘La Decima" title.
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