For the first time in the history of the competition the Champions League final will be contested by two teams from the same city. This is Real 13th appearance in the final and they will be looking to win the tournament for the tenth time, whilst Atletico reach their second final 40 years after their first final appearance back in 1974. Real boss Carlo Ancelotti is aiming to become only the second coach to win the competition three times, whilst Atletico supremo Diego Simeone will be only the third non-European manager to win the competition should his team triumph. The teams have met four times this season already, Real winning 5-0 on aggregate in the cups, whilst Atletico picked up four points from their two league encounters. The bookies will of course have looked at this game from every angle, but let us see where they have left in some value for bets that punters will not be tempted by at first glance.
Diego Simeone has moulded his Atletico team of modest talents into world beaters using a narrow 4-4-2 formation, telling his players to sit deep and pack the midfield whilst man-marking the opposition wingers. Miranda and Godin as a central defensive partnership are as good as any in the world. Simeone has tremendous focus, and will ensure that his team are concentrating fully from minute one. Real tend to take a while to settle on, scoring only 41 of their 104 league goals this season in the first half. The first half should be tense, as with any final, and getting odds of over 2.5 seems generous for anyone interested in medium risk betting.
The odds of a goalless final are 10/1, but even the Atletico defence are unlikely to restrict Bale and Ronaldo for the full ninety minutes of the biggest game of the season. Real are just too dangerous to restrict to zero goals with these two world-class players in full flow, and will eventually break down the Atletico defence. However the aggression, passion and energy Simeone has instilled in his Atletico side will cause genuine problems for Real with or without Diego Costa, and they will go on until the end in this game, never losing focus or heart, and should be able to find a goal from somewhere before the ninety minutes are up.
Real beat both of last year’s finalists in convincing fashion, as well as German side Schalke 04 in the knock-out stages to reach the final. They possess the world’s two most expensive players and have all the pedigree one could ask for, they have not surprisingly been installed as favourites for this one. However football is a team game, and the way each Atletico player gives everything for the team is remarkable to watch, they won last year’s Europa League and came back from 1-0 down at the Nou Camp to pip Barcelona to the La Liga title last week. Atletico fight and press to win the ball back, going forward as one and defending as one. Simeone has won everything at Atletico other than this competition and we back them here tonight at odds over 2.5 for them to either win in normal time, extra-time or penalties.
