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Come May 24th the city of Madrid would be rejoicing as the UCL trophy will end up in the city. It waits to be seen though, if Real Madrid ends their hoodoo surrounding La Decima or will it be Simeone's rampant group of men who would taste the champagne.Whatever be the outcome, this is a final of high stakes.
#1 Carlo Ancelotti - The master of been there, done that
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The UCL final of 2005, is perhaps the only blot on Ancelotti's otherwise, glittering managerial career. The events in Istanbul on that freaky night would have destabilized the biggest of managers, but not Ancelotti.
What is different about him is that being an Italian, he is a meticulous strategist. Simply put his attention to detail in terms of tactics is the sole reason that he was hired. He has been instrumental in taking Madrid this far.
Being a veteran of UCL finals, he knows exactly how to induce the 'right temperament, attitude and performance' from players on the biggest stage in Europe. After admitting that Real have not been at their best in the last few games, Ancelotti will demand a lot of focus from his players at Lisbon.
The manner in which Real have surrendered the title fight suggests that Ancelotti is far from impressed with a number 3 position in the table after having worked so hard.
Atletico will have to tackle the 'Ancelotti' factor more than the 'Galacticos' factor.
#2 Hustling and Bustling Diego Simeone
Irrespective of whether Atletico win the Champions League or the Primera Division or both or none, Simeone will go down as one of the, if not the finest coaches of Atleti. His tactical nous has been instrumental in the way Atleti has played the game.
Backed by smart transfer signings such as Villa and the ability to offset the loss of players such as Falcao, Simeone has instilled confidence in players and fans alike.
However, his biggest test will come in the next two games - The Champions League final against Madrid and the final League game against Barcelona. He may himself have to keep calm for the full 90 minutes rather than chomping and jumping at every missed opportunity.
If Atletico has to deliver a champion-esque performance, Simeone has to lead from the front to drive his players tactically and psychologically.
Make no mistake - We are looking at possibly the future Champions of Spain and Europe... and a manager who has quite remarkably caught the attention of leading clubs in Europe.
#3 Reals La Decima Obsession
10 is just a number, and the term La Decima has been paraphrased way too often for anyone's liking. The question is not whether 'Decima' is the most elusive title.
The question is - how long will Real Madrid take to win the Champions League again. 2002 is now a farfetched memory with the likes of Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Raul, Figo, McManaman are all retired.
Casillas is the lone surviving member from that group of 'Galacticos'. It waits to be seen if Ronaldo, Di Maria, Benzema and Bale have the potential to emulate those greats. Of course, without a doubt, the league has become more competitive, but in terms of the threat that the team of 2002 carried, they could strike fear in the opposition before the whistle was blown.
If Real fail to attain the La Decima, there will be a loss of faith in Ancelotti’s abilities, simply because it will be difficult for the club to assimilate the damage of that potential defeat. After spending millions on top footballers, another year without the Champions League might have a damning effect on the team.
#4 The never stopping Atletico
If Atletico's players manage to ignore the nerves of playing a Champions League final and treat this game as another regular game, then we are in for a treat.
Quite simply put, if this team stays true to its character, it will manage to surprise Real in many ways. It has a perfect combination of pace, stamina, strength, intelligence and motivation. Having come this far, they should believe in their strengths and not pay too much respect to Real's star power.
If they stick to their style, then they could achieve what the Dortmund of 2013 and Arsenal of 2006 failed to. The Champions League final is about maintaining composure right till the end. It is that stage where no advice works. Instead, belief and effort take a team to soaring heights.
#5 The Ghost of Mourinho
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In the league, Real have surrendered their fight just when it really mattered. It would have been a different scenario if the top 3 Spanish clubs had an equal chance of winning the title on the last day.
Looking over Real's progression is the Ghost of Mourinho. The cunning Portuguese may never admit that he may silently be tracking Madrid, but somewhere in a remote corner of his mind and heart, he would be quietly smiling. The manner, in which he was deported out of Madrid, will still be a fresh wound. And this would be playing on Real’s mind as well.
Make no mistake - Mourinho would have jumped at a chance of competing against Madrid in Portugal. There's also an interesting equation between Mourinho and Ancelotti. There was an intermittent exchange of jibes between the two, when the latter was managing Chelsea. Their time in Milan wasn't great either with frequent trade of verbal volleys.
Ancelotti's Real has been equally vocal about their discontent when playing under Mourinho. A Champions League win would give the egoistic Madrid players ammunition against the ever looming ego of Mourinho.
#6 For the love of Spain and the World Cup
While Real Madrid and Barcelona players have almost guaranteed starting places in the final XI, this year could see a different turn of events. If Atletico do manage to do the double, i.e. the Champions League and the La Liga, the world will take notice of that, especially Vicente Del Bosque.
Del Bosque would be foolish to ignore the Atleti players for a starting role in the WC. Players like Diego Costa, Gabi, Koke, Juanfran and Raul Garcia have impressed a lot. However, not all of them would make the playing 11 for Spain with the trusted players favorites to retain their places.
It waits to be seen if Del Bosque would put his trust in the Atletico players or will he stick with the established names.
#7 A treat for the neutrals!
For the love of football and from a neutral's point of view, one needs to see more and more competitive teams come up and challenge the status quo.
It has been refreshing to see how Dortmund, Liverpool (this season), Atletico, Juventus, etc. have been gaining big reputations over the past one year purely on the basis of performance.
While there will be a major fan force rooting for Real, Atleti has made more friends than any other club this season. Whatever happens in Lisbon, Simeone's men will be out there running till the end. Ancelotti has restored Real’s Champions League pedigree but Atletico have been a breath of fresh air in the way they have played football so far.
