Seattle Sports Insider

Seattle Sports Insider

Atlético is in the Champs League final

What does Real Madrid need to do to get in themselves?

Posted by

5/3/16

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Atlético Madrid ended the Champions League hopes of yet another Barcelona man Tuesday, dispatching former Barça player and manager Pep Guardiola and Bayern Munich based on aggregate total. Bayern won the second leg 2-1, but with the aggregate ending at 2-2, Atleti goes home the victor thanks to scoring a crucial away goal forcing the tiebreaker.

Them getting through makes it Atlético's second Champions League final in three years, an unprecedented run of success that includes a La Liga championship as well. Diego Simeone has had los rojiblancos competing for trophies ever since he arrived, and no doubt their confidence is sky high as they march towards Milan later this month.

While not a team that will hang six or seven goals on a team like Real Madrid and Barcelona have on lesser competition, Atlético is dominant nonetheless. They know their strengths and force their opponents to overcome them, a task not many are able to do.

The loss marks the end of Guardiola's Champions League run with Bayern, in his three years he was unable to take them to a final. While most coaches would have sold their soul to enjoy the success that Guardiola has experienced at Bayern, although for his standards one could say his tenure has been a disappointment.

A different story could have been written if Thomas Mueller converted his penalty shot in the 33rd minute, but Jan Oblak continued his mastery in front of goal and blocked the shot and Xabi Alonso's shot off the rebound.

Now it's Real's turn. They come home to the Bernabeu to host one of their former managers Manuel Pellegini and Manchester City. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is said to be 100% fit by manager Zinedine Zidane, however French striker Karim Benzema will sit out due to injury.

Ronaldo has exhibited unmatchable play at home, and may figure to slide up front in Benzema's absence. There is just no way Jése starts a game of this magnitude. Isco figures to get some consideration, although he would be a bit out of position starting up front.

City comes in as Madrid's toughest test yet in the Champions League. They have not yet conceded a goal at home in Champions League play, although they have not shared the pitch with anyone that can even hold a water bottle for Sergio Agüero or Kevin De Bruyne.

Ronaldo coming back figures to be a huge confidence boost, however whether or not Madrid advances depends heavily on if he is indeed 100% come Wednesday night.

Photo: Flickr

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Musings on ther Champions League result, and local cross-sport i

What does Manchester City do... with Pep having crashed out of the Champions League, if Manuel Pellegrini manages to get City into the finals?

I really hoped for a semifinals pitting the two Madrid sides vs. each other, and the current and new City managers vs. each other. (Unfortunately, the soccer gods, and the roll of the dice, saw it differently.)

Things I don't like about World Soccer: 1) NO salary cap (stories like Leicester City this year are exceptionally rare, since they are playing against teams with payrolls 5x what they are paying!) 2) A manager with a job can sign a future contract with a competing team- and no one mentions "tampering" or "conflict of interest". Pep, even if the soccer world has no morals, where are yours?!

So- that said- I propose a toast, from this august body of sports fans, to Leicester City, who 14 months ago was last in the Premier League by some way and almost certain to be relegated to the next level "Championship". What team in pro sports history has experience a turnaround like this- as noted, "against all odds". What a "Cinderella Story"! (Jacksonville Jags winning the Super Bowl; Philly 76ers winning the NBA; or- dare I speak it- our beloved Seattle M's winning a World Series!)

Leicester City has broken down the floodgates- shown us that "anything is possible". Bring on those pesky StL Cardinals, Cubbinis or NY Mets. 2016 is The Year of the UnderDawg!

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