Real Madrid is the undisputed king of European football, having turned its dominance into tyranny over the last forty years. at that time They have not lost a single Champions League final and in domestic championships they have only lost in four finals. The curious thing is that the team that beat him three of those four are Atlético de Madrid with Cholo Simeone on the rival bench.
The colchoneros have proven to be the most uncomfortable rival for the European champion. They have gone from not being a ‘worthy rival in the derbies’ to pushing the white team to the limit since Simeone led Atleti. Everything changed since the victory in the 2013 Copa del Rey final with a goal from Miranda in extra time. The red and white story took a turn after the match that ended with Mourinho leaving the rival bench. From there the neighbor began to look into the eyes of the most powerful club in the world. They beat him again in the Spanish Super Cup the following year, played over two legs, with a draw at the Bernabéu and victory at the Calderón thanks to Mario Mandzukic’s goal.
Atlético de Madrid would lift a new title in another final against the whites. It was in the 2018 European Super Cup in which the whites were chasing their third consecutive victory. They couldn’t against the Colchonero team that won in extra time, 2-4, with a double from Diego Costa and home goals (Saúl and Koke). These three finals, added to the one they lost last year against Barça in the new format of the Spanish Super Cupare the only ones in which the king of Europe has not been able to prevail.
And the case can be extrapolated to the Champions League. The passage of time has given value to the two finals that Cholo’s team lost against Real Madrid. The titles fell for the merengue team, the most important days of those mentioned, as true as that No other team has taken him to the limit in a final of the highest continental tournament. In the last 40 years, the rojiblancos were the only ones who did not lose in the 90 minutes of regulation. Juventus (2 times), Valencia, Liverpool (two others), Leverkusen and Dortmund were surpassed as holders of fifteen titles. The outcome against the colchoneros is already known. In Lisbon, Ramos’ header appeared in the 93rd minute to extend the game by 30 more minutes and in Milan there was no choice but to resolve it in the penalty shootout due to the prevailing equality. It is no consolation for the followers who wait in their windows for the long-awaited orejona, but it is representative of Cholo’s way of competing. and his against a rival to whom no one coughs or is capable of resisting.
For example, in this campaign with a triplet (League, Champions and Spanish Super Cup), There is only one team that has beaten him and it is Atlético de Madrid again. They made it 3-1 in the match played at the Metropolitano and also managed to eliminate them in the Copa del Rey although they needed extra time. Also Real Madrid kept the colchoneros from the path to the Super Cup title although once again they needed extra time. They couldn’t even win at the Bernabéu, where a goal from Llorente on the hour mark gave the red and whites a point.
In times where Real Madrid seems to have no rival and its dominance is absolute, the data shows that there is a team that competes on an equal footing.
