Let the games begin

 

Milan, one of the world’s most glamourous cities, is agog with so much flourish preparatory to the grand finale that will happen tomorrow of the highly coveted UEFA Champions League which will happen tomorrow evening. Indeed, the passion, glitz and razzmatazz that go with this tournament (talk more of its final match) are of no mean volume. The European flagship soccer showpiece truly, resonates across the globe, and pundits and soccer buffs are yet to disprove this fact.

 

Billed for the famous Sansiro Stadium (the home ground of Serie A giants, AC Milan), the game has no doubt generated an astronomic dose of media hype. However, the major talking point for most observers seems to center around the status of the finalists. The gladiators this time, both come from Spain. Real Madrid FC and Atletico Madrid are renowned clubsides in the Spanish elite football league, better known as La Liga. Again, both teams are domiciled in the same port city of Madrid, the nation’s capital.

 

Feelers from Milan are very high, raising the excitement and suspense around the contest. The Los Blancos (which is the native name of Real) have yet pulled the most powerful stunt. With few hours to kick off time, world famous Hollywood actor, Richard Gere announced his support for the Santiago Bernabeu side. Gere made the trip to Milan together with the entire Madrid squad.

 

Although the more illustrious side (Madrid have won the European diadem for a record ten times) bookmakers are saying that if Atletico would ever lose the contest, they would not go down so easily. They indeed have a section of supporters routing for their victory. One of these people is FC Barcelona defender and Brazilian International, Dani Alves. He said:

“I want Atletico to win. But not just because I want Madrid to lose. I want Atletico to win it because they are a team that has worked for it. Madrid already have many titles, I would like Atletico to have a prize for all the work they have done in recent years.”

Many analysts of the game believe that the Brazillian’s support for the Diego Simeone – tutored side is clothed with ulterior intentions other them mere passion. The rivalry between Barca and Madrid is so obvious that any die hard fan of the Camp Nou Side (not to talk of its player) would hardly wish any good fortune to come the way of the Los Blancos. Barcelona had already won the La Liga title as well as the Cop Del Rey trophy. So, the event of a Madrid loss at the UEFA Champions League finals would further widen the Ballon d’Or gap between Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s talisman Lionel Messi.

The Milan finals indeed brings back memories of what happened in the 2014 season. It seems like a rehash of the 2014 epic finals where both clubs made it all the way to the final game, before Real Madrid coasted home to an extra time victory (4 – 1) after the regulation time ended in a stalemate.

Over the years, teams from the same country are known to have made it to the finals of major tournaments (including the UEFA Champions League), but the game in question holds so much prospects for Atletico Madrid in particular. A victory for them, tomorrow, would certainly prove a fitting reward for their commendable campaign in this season, which most pundits see as a fairy tale run. Again, the red and white stripe side are yet to win the trophy having come close on several occasions.