The Fifth of Lisbon

Just eight years ago, Real Madrid managed to win their long-awaited Tenth Champions League in Lisbon against Atlético de Madrid. The white team broke its 12-year losing streak without lifting the orejona and did it the way they like it best, with an epic comeback after a goal from Sergio Ramos at 92:48´ to take the game to extra time where those of Ancelotti They were far superior to those of Cholo and ended up winning 4-1 thanks to goals from Bale, Marcelo and Ronaldo. Coincidences of life Today is also the 22nd anniversary of the conquest of the eighth against Valencia in Paris.

Just eight years later, Ancelotti’s team is once again on the verge of playing a new Champions League final, but in this case to achieve the Fourteenth. Along the way, the Chamartín team managed to raise three other dried apricots; in 2016 in Milan against Atlético de Madrid, in 2017 in Cardiff against Juventus and the last one in 2019 in kyiv against Liverpool. All those finals were hand in hand with Zidane on the bench.

Of that squad there are still eight players who could go even further into history if they manage to win in Paris. It would be his fifth Champions League in eight years. Carvajal, Nacho, Marcelo, Casemiro, Modric, Isco, Bale and Benzema. The situation has changed a lot for each of them since the final in Lisbon. For Marcelo, Isco and Bale it will possibly be their last meeting in the Real Madrid shirt and it will be difficult to see them play any minute in the final in Paris. All of them were very important in the conquest of the Tenth. Casemiro was not even summoned that night of May 24, 2014 and this Saturday no one doubts his ownership. Modric and Carvajal will be the starters again, as in Lisbon, and Nacho also points to the starting role if Alaba does not arrive on time.

On the bench will be Ancelotti, who will also play his fifth Champion finals as a coach (three with Milan and two with Real Madrid). Kroos will live his sixth Champions League finalbut in this case the German was not present in Lisbon, but a year before he won the Champions League with Bayern (he did not play due to injury) and was on the field in the 2012 final that Bayern lost to Chelsea.

A Fifth that hopes to make history this coming Saturday in Paris by raising the Fourteenth to close a year with three titles. They have already won the Spanish Super Cup and the League. They would only have ahead of People as the only player with six European Cups. Ancelotti would remain the only coach in history to lift four orejonas.