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Nacho Fernandez has said Real Madrid have waited too long for the opportunity to secure their 10th European Cup.

Los Blancos take on cross city rivals Atletico de Madrid on Saturday evening in the showpiece event – the first time the Champions League final will be contested by two teams from the same city.

Since winning the trophy for the ninth time 12 years ago, when Zinedine Zidane scored a wonder goal at Hampden Park in Glasgow, Real haven’t made the final. Prior to this year, they have made three consecutive semi-final appearances, falling at the final hurdle every time.

Speaking to the media at a press event ahead of the final in Portugal, defender Nacho said the team can’t pass up the chance to secure the much coveted Decima having come this far.

He added that when Zidane, now assistant manager under Carlo Ancelotti, scored the goal against Bayer Leverkussen in 2002, he and his family were watching on TV and jumped for joy. Now, he says, it is his turn to make Madridistas happy all around the world.

“We are looking forward to the Final, all Madridistas have been waiting this moment for so long. I think that the previous matches against Atletico are not that important, we need to win this match,” he stated.

And he continued: “We have to win it. I remember watching Zidane’s goal at home and how high me and my family jumped. We now need to make the fans jump high too by winning the game.”

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Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro believes the club’s search for a tenth UEFA Champions League title has become a “small obsession”.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side face city rivals Atletico Madrid in Lisbon on Saturday, a win over this years La Liga champions would earn them a tenth winners medal – also known as the La Decima.

Hierra was the last Los Blancos skipper to lift the trophy, it came in the 2002 final when they overcame Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.

“It could be that a small obsession exists now,” Hierro told Marca.

“12 years have passed now without winning one, and for Real Madrid 12 years is a long time.

“I think the true obsession existed in 1998, when we had gone 32 years without winning it.”

The 46-year-old acknowledges the weight of pressure now placed upon the side and hopes Saturday’s final could see them bring an end to the long wait.

“Generations of players and fans didn’t know what it was to win the European Cup. But then we won it and it was like being freed” he said.

“Because of this we also then won the eighth and ninth titles. Hopefully the same can happen again.

“I hope they can win La Decima and overcome this small issue.”

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Real Madrid shirt

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We will raffle the shirt among the fans who have met those two requirements. We will get in touch with the winner in order to ask the size of the shirt and we will send him or her the prize.

Take part in our contest and win a shirt like the one in the picture!

Good luck!

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Madrid press report 24-05-2014

Madrid sports newspapers agree today in their front-pages that Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will play the most important derby in the history, as they meet in Lisbon tonight in the Champions League final.

“The derby of the Centuries,” titles As, pointing out that Real and Atletico will fight for “La Decima and the first one” respectively.

The other main Madrid-based sports daily, Marca, claims it will be “a duel of 111 years.” “The Spanish champions fight the mother of all battles to decide who rules in Europe,” they add.

Regarding the injury update, As reports that all players with physical problems seem ready to play: “Cristiano, Benzema, Pepe, Arda Turan and Diego Costa trained normally.”

Both newspapers bring to their front pages the manager’s statements in the press conference prior to the game. “We’ve been dreaming of this final the whole year,” Carlo Ancelotti said. “If we play like in Munich, we can win,” he added.

Meanwhile, Diego Simeone tried to put the pressure on their rival: “We’ve got La Liga, but they are the best team in the world.”

The final will kick off today at 19.45 GTM. 120.000 Spanish fans have travelled to Lisbon, although most of them don’t have a ticket to access Estadio da Luz.

* Follow Realmadridnews.com on Twitter @realmadridnewsw

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes “there are no favourites” for next Saturday’s Champions League final in Lisbon. The Italian predicted “it will be tight” and claimed Los Blancos “will work hard” to conquer La Decima against Atletico Madrid.

In Real Madrid’s media day, Ancelotti gave his views on their rival: “With the season they’ve had, Atletico have shown that they are a team with a lot of quality. There are no favourites in the final. It might be the case that after winning the league, Atletico are still in a state of euphoria, but we are really up for winning this competition because we have been playing so well in it up until now,” he said.

When asked about the tactical preparation for the game, the Italian explained “there are no secrets ahead of this match.” “Both teams know each other well, and finals are always very tight. It will be difficult and in order to win we have to work really hard, stay united and the fans will need to help us,” he added.

Ancelotti believes many factors will be key: “The first is having the required amount of cool-headedness to prepare for these kinds of matches. Fear is not a good thing. We will try to get the tactics right; when you’re focused on what you have to do on the pitch, you forget about the fear.”

The Italian called for the fans to support the team the way they did in the semi-final against Bayern Munich and in the Copa del Rey final: “I remember our journey from the hotel to Mestalla with our fans by our side, who were really excited and up for the game. That helped us massively towards beating Barcelona in that final. I wish for the same thing to happen in Lisbon and I’m sure it will.”

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In what be a case of mind games, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has claimed Atletico de Madrid will go into the Champions League final as favourites.

The Vicente Calderon side secured their first league title since 1996 last weekend, earning a 1-1 draw at the Nou Camp to secure the point they needed become the first team in 10 years other than Barcelona or Real to win the league.

Los Rojiblancos didn’t lose to Real in the league this season, winning the encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu and drawing at home, although Carlo Ancelotti’s men did knock them out of the Copa del Rey at the semi final stage on route to winning that competition.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday morning, Ramos piled the pressure on Diego Simeone’s team saying they will go into the game as favourites. He added that Real will do all they can to lift the trophy as no one ever remembers who comes second.

“Atletico are the favourites, the present champions,” the World Cup winner said.

“Other years it’s been won by others. This year it’s their turn because they deserve to be there. We’re playing for everything with just the one hand. It’s a unique opportunity and it’s true that nobody remembers who came second. Finals are there to be won.”

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To speak of Diego Pablo Simeone one automatically thinks of how he symbolises Atletico Madrid. He is one of the few who can claim to have won titles on the banks of the Manzanares as both player and coach. Therefore, in the Vicente Calderon hold him in the highest regard. What few ‘Colchoneros’ remember is that there was a time when the only dream for ‘Cholo’ … to play for Real Madrid!

It was in the midst of the 93/94 season, when Simeone was plying his trade at Sevilla. At that time the Real Madrid was a giant who had sleepwalked into mediocrity. The club didn’t know how to overthrow the ‘Dream Team’ of Johan Cruyff. There was no direction at the club, and they did nothing but sign players aimlessly to try to achieve their goal of toppling the Catalans.

Planning the 94/95 season, Los Blancos identified Simeone as someone to improve their options in midfield. The press said Los Merengues were counting on the Albiceleste to become the new Uli Stielike – someone left their mark and character in the middle. When they explored the potential signing they were given two differing stories, as popular tales say. One good, and one bad.

The latter of those was that Sevilla asked for a fee of 600 milllion pesetas (just over three million euroes) along with two Real Madrid players. The good news was that when Simeone found out about Real’s interest in him he was eager to join the Santiago Bernabeu club. “If I ever leave Sevilla, it would only be for Real Madrid” he indicated in April 15, 1994.

However, the Argentine’s wished would never come true. The Chamartin club dropped their interest in the player once Jorge Valdano, then the Tenerife manager but who had agreed to take over Real Madrid from the 1994/95 season, revealed he would prefer to sign Fernando Redondo as part of his vision for the team.

Simeone did indeed end up in Madrid in the summer of 1994, but not at the Santiago Bernabeu. It was instead at the Vicente Calderon, where he began his journey to become the idol that his is today, with few remembering he had to abandon his dream to play for their biggest rival.

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Real Madrid take on city rivals Atletico de Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday. It is the first time two teams from the same city will face each other in Europe’s elite club competition.

Diego Simeone’s team lifted the La Liga title last weekend, with Real finishing third in the table. But Carlo Ancelotti’s men got one over their rivals in this season’s Copa del Rey at the semi-final stage en route to winning the tournament.

Check out this infographic, provided by our friends at bettingexpert, with all the stats you need ahead of the big match in Lisbon.

CL-Final-2014---Madrid-Derby---Eng

* CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE THE INFOGRAPHIC IN FULL SIZE

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madrid press report 23-05-2014

Madrid sports dailies put their focus today on Real Madrid’s arrival in Lisbon, where they will face Atletico Madrid tomorrow in the final of the Champions League.

“Real Madrid’s arrival unlooses Champions League devotion and begins the landing of 120.000 Spaniards, 80.000 of them without a ticket,” Marca states.

Both Madrid-based newspapers emphasize the fact that Diego Costa trained with his team-mates. However, As points out, “he was cautious.”

“Arda Turan also trained, but whether they will feature in the final is not clear yet,” Marca claims.

On the other hand, the most sold Spanish newspaper reports that “Benzema believes he will play” despite his physical problems.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was the most acclaimed player, trained 25 minutes with the team and 20 alone according to As.

Alfredo Relano’s newspaper publishes an interview with Real Madrid legend Francisco Gento, who claims he is as “hopeful as when I used to play.” Gento, who won six European Cups with Los Blancos, said “the winner will party and the loser will cry.”

As also interviewed Atletico’s midfielder Koke. “When I was at school there were very few Rojiblancos, and look now…,” he told the Madrid-based newspaper.

* Follow Realmadridnews.com on Twitter at @realmadridnewsw

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Former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes believes this weekend’s Champions League final will be decided by the performances of Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa.

Morientes won the Champions League on three occasions as a player for Los Blancos and was also a runner-up in the 2004 final with Monaco.

“When you think about who could really make the difference on the night, the forwards stand out, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa the most dangerous,” he told Fifa.com.

Costa, however, is facing a tough task to be fit for the final after limping off during the first half as Atletico won La Liga for the first time since 1996 at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

The naturalised Spaniard suffered a small hamstring tear that would usually sideline a player for around two weeks, but is undergoing treatment in Serbia in an attempt to be fit for the match.

Morientes also indicated that although the match may be won and lost upfront, there are also many other important aspects to the game for each side.

He added: “You have to appreciate other areas of the pitch. Sergio Ramos and Pepe are crucial at the back for Real Madrid. For Atletico it’s the midfield, where Gabi and Arda Turan have brought good balance to their play.”

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