After a grueling season, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are set to meet in the 2016 UEFA Champions League Finals. The battle between football's powerhouses will happen at the historic San Siro Stadium in Milan on Saturday, May 28. Now, here's our predictions and preview for the upcoming matchup.
The all-Spanish affair will start at 20:45 CEST (19:45 BST). The game is the 61st final of Europe's premier club competition organized by UEFA and the 24th since it was called the Champions League.
Interestingly, Milan's San Siro stadium has hosted three previous European Cup finals, in 1965, 1970 and 2001. The stadium's maximum capacity is around 80,000, which is reduced slightly for UEFA competitions. For those who want to watch the Real vs. Aletico matchup, Goal.com reported the tickets have already sold out.
In 2014's Champions League Finals, Real Madrid defeated Aletico with a final score of 4-1. However, only five players from the two teams are still around two years later. Diego Godin, Juanfran, Filipe Luis, Toby Alderweireld and David Villa have all been replaced by younger players.
For the part of Atletico, Diego Simeone said he is building a team for the future. He has a young team that reached two finals in just three years and is contending for another title. In a game against Munich, Atletico's Antoine Griezmann scored the game winning shot. He also scored the goal that helped the team to win at the Bernabeu in February. The #7 forward is only 25 years old, and he is the oldest of the new generation. Additionally, Griezmann plays with a revitalized Fernando Torres, which is a big boost from the 2014 team.
On the other hand, Real Madrid has chance to write another chapter in its illustrious history. After three seasons, the team earned their ticket to Champions League final for the second time. The failure of Real's superstars after La Decima will not be forgotten, as ex-coach Carlo Ancelotti paid the ultimate price by sacrificing his position. Now, it is time for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to atone for past results with a European trophy.
CNN analysts said the upcoming Champions League Finals will be a match between's Real's ferocious attack and Atletico's ability to repel any foe which dares to lay siege to its goal. Bleacher Report has predicted the game's result will be Real 0-1 Atletico.
Click here to watch Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid Champions League Live Stream
