As we gear up for the UEFA Champions League final this Saturday in Lisbon, let’s take a look back at how both Real and Atletico Madrid reached the final of Europe’s elite club competition.
Two teams from the same city have never squared off in the final before, as both Real and Atletico are the last two teams standing. Real Madrid are aiming to win a record tenth title, Atletico are searching for their first. The latter will be buoyed by their first La Liga title since ’96 arriving this season and head into the final full of confidence after an incredible run.
MORE: Latest UEFA Champions League news
Both have impressed throughout their UCL journey and have faced tricky tasks along the way, especially in the knockout stages. Between them, Atleti and Real have knocked off Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Chelsea among others and the teams from the Spanish capital truly deserve to battle it out for the famous trophy.
Here is a look back at how both teams fared en-route to the final, as we trace their path.
Real Madrid
Group Stages: Winners of Group B
Real won five of their six group games and drew the other as they hammered in 20 goals. The highest scorers in the tournament went wild.
Last 16: Beat Schalke 9-2 on aggregate
Real embarrassed Schalke with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale putting on a clinic. Total domination.
Quarterfinal: Beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate
After a 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg, you thought the tie was dead and buried. Think again. Dortmund found some holes in Real’s defense and quickly went 2-0 up, however Madrid held on to book a fourth-straight semifinal berth.
Semifinal: Beat Bayern Munich 5-0 on aggregate
Another German team, another win for Real. This time the blitzed reigning champs Bayern and made Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka style look silly. Pure pace on the counter tore the Bavarian’s apart as the Spaniards set up a chance to win their tenth UCL title.
Atletico Madrid
Group Stages: Winner of Group G
Atleti also won five and drew one of their group games as they eased into the knockout stages after conceding the fewest goals of any team.
Last 16: Beat AC Milan 5-1 on aggregate
Atletico went to the San Siro and scored late on through Diego Costa to take a 1-0 lead with them back to the Vicente Calderon. There they hammered AC and breezed through to the last eight.
Quarterfinal: Beat Barcelona 2-1 on aggregate
A nervous two games against Barca saw Atletico cause a huge shock with a tense 1-0 win at home in the second leg sealing their semifinal spot.
Semifinal: Beat Chelsea 3-1 on aggregate
A 0-0 draw at home to Chelsea, then falling 1-0 behind at Stamford Bridge in the first half of the second leg meant Atletico were up against it in London. Then they sparked into life and scored three unanswered goals to reach their final UCL final in over 40 years.
