Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid: Uefa Champions League final - Los Blancos win on penalties
Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Real win 5-4 on penalties)
- Real captain Sergio Ramos opens the scoring from close range.
- Antoine Griezmann hits a second-half penalty against the bar.
- Yannick Carrasco draws Atletico level.
- Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning penalty after Juanfran missed.
The Atletico players are in tears on the field. Such a contrast of emotions.
Ronaldo, who was pretty poor for most of the night and did not really look fit, turns out to be the matchwinner. Real, to their credit, were inch-perfect from the spot and have won the European Cup for the 11th time in their history.
Congratulations, Real, and thanks for joining our kick-by-kick coverage this evening.
Full-time AET: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid
The game goes to penalty kicks after 122 action-packed minutes in Milan. What a dramatic finish to the European Cup final.
Atletico Madrid have the most-recent experience of this scenario, but are deprived of some of their best penalty takes.
In goal for Real with be Keylor Navas, who Real tried to sell to Manchester United last summer in exchange for David de Gea. He could now be Real's hero.
Koke is down now, too. The midfielder won't be able to continue because of cramp. Koke is replaced by Thomas Partey.
Perhaps crucially, Koke is likely to have been among Atletico's first-choice penalty takers.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo fires a 35-yard free-kick straight into the wall. It's not been his night so far.
The second half of extra-time gets under way, but not before Zidane and Ronaldo share a joke between themselves.
Ronaldo was smiling, but he is seizing up minutes later. Real have a serious problem with Bale and Ronaldo, both of whom are suffering with cramp.
For Atletico, Felipe Luis has also gone down with an injury. He's coming off - albeit very slowly - for Lucas.
Just as I type that, Ronaldo - who has been a footnote in this game - spurns a glorious chance from a corner. He won the ball in the air but got his header all wrong and Oblak is able to gather.
Meanwhile, Danilo against Carrasco is proving to be a complete mismatch. The Brazilian is having a shocker, and has gone into the book for dragging his man to the ground.
And Torres comes within inches of giving Atletico the lead now!
The former Liverpool and Chelsea striker gets on the end of another Juanfran cross, but he cannot direct his effort inside the post.
What a final this has developed into, though. All credit must go to Atletico, who are a team transformed in the second period.
GOAL: Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Carrasco)
This game is alive and kicking now!
The half-time sub Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, the 22-year-old Belgian, has drawn Simeone's men level. The highly-rated youngster turns in an excellent volleyed cross from Juanfran to bring the match level.
We have a thrilling finish in store and, remember, Real have already made all three of their subs.
Around 15 minutes left at the San Siro. And Zidane is playing his final hand, bringing on Lucas Vázquez for Karim Benzema.
The Frenchman has started to look a little tired and spurned a good chance minutes ago. That means Ronaldo will be on the pitch for the final whistle. What's more, he'll probably move to a central role.
The game is getting more and more stretched as Simeone's side hunt an equalising goal. Real look dangerous on the break with the pace of Benzema, Ronaldo and particularly Bale, who has been the best player on show.
Real's latest counter-attack sees Benzema fire his shot straight at Jan Oblak, who has been excellent this evening, too.
Some of the sting appears to have been taken out of Ateltico for the time being. Perhaps Real have successfully weathered the storm?
Los Blancos have just over 20 minutes to hold on in order to win the European Cup for the 11th time. If they score the next goal, then it's definitely time to open the Champagne bottles.
Cristiano Ronaldo probably isn't fully fit and has been a peripheral figure in the game so far. He's definitely been outshone by Gareth Bale through the opening hour of the match.
Having said that, if a chance falls his way, you'd still expect him to find the net, so there's negligible chance of him being withdrawn by the Real boss.
A HUGE, HUGE moment in the final! Atletico are awarded a penalty after Pepe fells Fernando Torres in the box.
But Antoine Griezmann - the best player in the Atletico side - smashes his effort against the bar. What a dramatic couple of minutes just after the break.
Is that Ateltico's one big moment gone?
Half-time: Real Madrid 1-0 Atletico Madrid
Real lead at the break and deservedly so. Los Blancos have been bright and breezy in attack, and disciplined at the other end. It's all been a bit too easy, in truth.
Atletico, on the other hand, have only come to the party in the last 15 minutes of the half. Simeone will know a dramatic shift is needed if they are to avoid another heartbreaking defeat to their eternal rivals.
Another flash of quality from Antoine Griezmann, who turns his marker and hits a right-footed effort just wide of the post. The silky Frenchman definitely looks to be Atletico's best hope in this match.
The Real players are all showing a willingness to work from one another - which isn't always the case.
Antoine Griezmann produces his best moment of the game with a left-footed shot from distance. Thankfully from a Real viewpoint, Keylor Navas is able to skip to his left and make a comfortable save.
Simeone's side are creeping their way back into this match after a sluggish start. There's ten minutes to go until half-time in Milan.
The first attack from Ateltico of any note arrives on the 30-minute mark. Koke crosses the ball in from the left side and Godin is within inches of getting his head on that. Simeone's side appear to have woken up - and not before time.
But Real still pose a threat on the break, too, and their latest attack only fails because of an excellent stop from Jan Oblak, who palms away a Karim Benzema cross.
Atletico are getting completely overpowered in the centre of the midfield. The game is basically attack (Real) versus defence (Atletico) at the moment.
The likes of Toni Kroos are being given far too much time on the ball. Los Blancos look to be incredibly comfortable, which isn't what anyone expected before the match.
That goal, regardless of whether it was offside or not, has been coming for the last few minutes. It's been one-way traffic so far in favour of Los Blancos.
Diego Simeone may already wish to consider an early tactical shift, because what they're doing at the moment isn't working.
Zinedine Zidane, on the other hand, will be delighted with Real's performance in the opening minutes. And they're searching a second at the moment...
GOAL: Real Madrid 1-0 Atletico Madrid (Ramos)
The captain has opened the scoring in Milan! Atletico concede a cheap freekick on the left flank.
Toni Kroos whips the ball in and Sergio Ramos - who may have been fractionally offside - manages to poke it home. The Spaniard has scored his second goal in a Champions League final, having also done so in 2014.
The first - but probably not last - yellow card of the final is handed to Dani Carvajal, who was guilty of a late tackle on Antoine Griezmann. A deliberate effort to 'leave a mark' on the Frenchman? Perhaps.
But the Real defender will need to watch his step now - we've only just passed the ten-minute mark.
As you would expect, Atletico are looking to impose a furious pace when they're not in possession of the ball, pressing their opponents at every opportunity.
The noise inside the stadium is incredible. This is a fitting venue for such an historic match.
In the opening few minutes, though, neither side has done anything of any note.
Ronaldo gives the camera a little nod and a wink before kick-off. As ever, he appears to be supremely confident.
Will the record-breaking forward be smiling so broadly after 90 minutes, though? We'll have to wait to see.
Kick-off is moments away in Milan. Remember, Mark Clattenburg has been given the enviable/unenviable job of looking after this match.
The fans inside the San Siro are being 'treated' to a pre-match performance from Alicia Keys, who then makes way for the European Cup itself.
It seems we're running a little bit behind schedule in Milan, which is rather frustrating for everyone concerned.
As the two teams emerge from the tunnel, Andrea Bocelli breaks into song. Here we go...
Only ten minutes until kick-off now in this hugely anticipated match in Milan. This is, of course, a repeat of the 2014 final and if tonight's contest is anything like that one, we're in for a treat.
Most experts anticipate Real to dominate the game for the most part, with their lesser-fancied rivals prepared to sit deep and soak up the pressure. But Diego Simeone is sure to have a surprise in store for his opposite number.
Both sets of supporters, as you would expect, are eagerly looking forward to kick-off. Not long to wait now...
It goes without saying that this is a huge evening for Gareth Bale, who has no intentions of leaving Real Madrid in the near future.
"I feel more integrated, I have more personal relationships with my teammates and that always gives you more happiness and that reflects on my game," he was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"I'm enjoying myself a lot in Madrid and I hope this continues for many years. I want to be better each season and win many titles along the way."
What managers say
Diego Simeone: "We'll play against a team with fantastic players and who are among the top three in the world. We'll try to take the match to where we are most comfortable and feel most protected.
"It's great to play two finals in three years, and that's very important for us. [Milan] is about pure football. If there's a stage which represents football, it's in Italy."
What managers say
Zinedine Zidane: "It's two months since we lost to Atletico in the League. We've worked well since then. Losing a final is difficult. At this moment we don't think about losing, just what we can do to win. I wish it was Saturday already. I'm happy and excited. The feelings are mixed.
"What I can say is I am very lucky to share this with the players. I have a lot to learn but the desire to learn is tremendous. I'll improve, I'm convinced. But I have a lot to learn to be a great coach."
Breaking team news:
Here is the side selected by the ever-energetic Diego Simeone, who will be kicking every ball this evening. As you can see, Fernando Torres is starting the biggest game of his life, as he's called it.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Filipe Luis; Saul, Gabi, Fernandez, Koke; Griezmann, Torres
Sub: Moya, Tiago, Correa, Hernandez, Carrasco, Partey, Gimenez
Breaking team news:
So, as expected, Real Madrid are at full strength as they go in search of another European crown. Despite the last-minute doubts surrounding Ronaldo's fitness, it always appeared certain he would take the field.
We'll have to wait to see whether he is fully fit, though - I suspect not.
Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal, Pepe, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Casemiro, Modric, Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema
Subs: Casilla, Nacho, Rodriguez, Vazquez, Jese, Isco, Danilo
Preview
Real Madrid are on a ten-game winning run in all competitions but have failed to beat Atletico Madrid in their last six head-to-head meetings.
The 10-time European champions got the better of their city rivals in last year's Champions League quarter-final, though, and also beat Diego Simeone's side 4-1 in the 2014 European Cup final in Lisbon.
Raphael Varane will miss the match with a thigh injury, while Alvaro Arbeloa (knee) is also likely to be sidelined. Zinedine Zidane has no other injury concerns.
Atletico Madrid have won seven of their 13 previous European encounters with Spanish clubs, losing only three. The Rojiblancos are bidding to win their first ever Champions League after their previous two European Cup final appearances – in 2014 and 1974 – both ended in defeat.
Simeone has no injury concerns. Midfielder Tiago returned from a long-term injury in the league game against Celta Vigo on 14 May.
Hello and welcome to IBTimes UK's coverage of the 2016 Champions League final between Real and Atletico Madrid.
The San Siro stadium in Milan is a fitting venue for this much-anticipated clash between the Spanish giants.
We'll bring you all the team news and build up over the next hour or so, so stay tuned...
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