Isco sparks a Real disco
BALE SET FOR CARDIFF FINAL
THE man in black, Diego Simeone, was outdone by 11 men in black as Real Madrid reached the Champions League final at the expense of their city rivals.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-leg hat- trick had left Atletico Madrid with too much to do. And despite the home side going 2-0 up inside 16 minutes, an Isco goal crushed their dream on an emotional final European night at the Vicente Calderon.
There was a biblical storm on 90 minutes — thunder, lightning, driving rain and a drenched Simeone still whipping up his congregation like an evangelical preacher. But there was no secondleg miracle.
Simeone said: ‘We still needed two goals when it was 2-0 but we had started so well and their goal before half-time really hurt us. It was a noble, enormous performance.
‘I cannot clone these players, I wish I could. I am so proud of them. It wasn’t just talk before the game, we really did come close. Their keeper was outstanding.’
Asked what it would take for the team to eventually get the better of Real Madrid, he sighed: ‘ We are only a step away but it’s a big step.’
So it is Real Madrid who will face Juventus in the final on June 3, with Gareth Bale hoping he can recover from a calf injury to play in the city of his birth. As he tweeted ‘ Cardiff here we come’, his team-mates slid across the wet turf to their 2,500 supporters behind the goal in which Isco had scored from Karim Benzema’s fine assist.
France striker Benzema had brilliantly got away from three Atletico defenders and crossed for Toni Kroos. His shot was only parried by Jan Oblak and when the ball ran to Isco he found the far corner.
Zinedine Zidane basked in the glory of reaching the final for the second year in a row — and in the magic of Real’s only goal of the night.
‘I don’t know how Benzema got out of that situation to cross for the goal. He doesn’t either,’ said the Real boss.
Atletico had wasted no time trying to eat into the first-leg deficit. On 12 minutes they took the lead when an under-siege Keylor Navas was beaten by Saul Niguez powering a header past him from Koke’s corner.
Four minutes later they needed just one goal to draw level on aggregate. Fernando Torres was brought down by Raphael Varane, and Antoine Griezmann scored the penalty despite slipping and seeing Navas get a hand to it.
With the stadium shaking to the core of those concrete rafters that will soon have their date with the wrecking ball, tempers flared on the pitch.
Real midfielder Casemiro was lucky to escape punishment for a foul on Griezmann, and Diego Godin was booked for an aerial challenge on Ronaldo. Sergio Ramos joined him in the book for protesting too much.
Atletico had to keep their heads and their lead going into the break but were thwarted when Benzema set up Isco on 42 minutes.
Simeone put Kevin Gameiro on early in the second half and the change almost worked. Navas was forced into a sensational double save from first Yannick Carrasco and then Gameiro’s header.
Simeone contorted in agony on the touchline. The Madrid keeper has been outstanding across the two legs and hardly deserves to be on his way out, if they finally prise David de Gea from Manchester United.
‘It’s impossible but we are Atletico,’ Simeone had said after the first leg. In the end it was impossible, but they did the old stadium proud with the manner in which they tried.