REAL MADRID OR ATLETICO? DISCOVER HOW THEY GET TO LISBON. Champions League 2013-14 Final.

27/05/2014

After a long season, characterized by a high equality in “la Liga” finally crowned by Atletico Madrid, arrives at the end the main course everyone was waiting. On Saturday 24, Europe will have a new champion that will be elected among the top 2 of this edition of Champions; Real Madrid and Atletico will fight for such a prestigious award and will meet again this season.

In this special article, SICO will help you know understand how both teams face this determinant pulse analyzing their key players and providing keys that may be unbalancing in the result. Here we show you the Clubs Ranking of Champions 2013-14 before the final.

Goalkeepers

The goals of the ?Estadio de la Luz? will be defended by 2 of the best goalkeepers of the World, which have proved to be in a great shape and have helped with their interventions that their teams are in the Grand Final.

Iker Casillas (Index 8.82) had an atypical season, as he has relegated his position in ?Liga? to Diego López to handle the Cup and the Champions League with the aim of following the guidelines of Carlo Ancelotti, who wanted to support his two goalkeepers at full capacity. This decision has helped Real Madrid because Iker has kept a spectacular level, reaching the Cup and the last step in the European championship, and ensure his place in goal for the Spanish national team due in large part to the injury of Víctor Valdés.

On the other side, Courtois (Index 8.78) has got to be the less scored goalkeeper in Europe and has added to his individual achievements his second Zamora Trophy in ?la Liga?; therefore, has confirmed that he is probably the best goalkeeper in the World today. His interventions have led Atletico to sign an incredible year, with the achievement of ?la Liga? (17 years later) and with the possibility that his team lift the first Champions League in its history.

Both are in Top 3 of the Goalkeepers Ranking, only surpassed by Victor Valdés; here we offer their performance data in all matches played in UCL:

Defense

The defense of both clubs has played a key role throughout the competition. The couples formed by Godín - Miranda (Index 8.51 - 8.04) and Ramos ? Pepe (Index 8.68 ? 8.52) have been determinant during the course of the year; we can see a better Index by the ?merengues? defense. In recoveries (Madrid 17 ? Atletico 13.3 per game) even the backs of Atletico are more secure without much ball loses (Atletico 3.2 ? Madrid 6.5), that?s why his goalkeeper has received fewer goals. The 4 players have a major impact in the final results, because they average 9 imminent saves between all (Pepe 5 ? Ramos 1 ? Miranda 1 ? Godín 2).

It is easy to understand that most of the players of both squads have their place in the World Cup except Filipe Luis (Index 8.16), who will not have his chance in Brazil 2014; unexplainable after a great performance this last season.

It?s not a coincidence that the offensive actions of Atletico are produce by the left lane, a guarantee of success for Simeone, which has enhanced the offensive attacks of Filipe Luis, so his performance is observed through this numbers: offensive imbalances 2.9 (average), 3.3 deep passes per game, recoveries 5.9 (average), plus 1 assistance and 1 goal.

His counterpart on the other side Coentrao (Index 8.35) was determinant in the Semifinals with important goal assistance, he has also recovered his best level maintaining a great defensive performance with an average recoveries of 6.8 per game.

In the right wing we find 2 players that will fight for a place in the Spanish national team, Carvajal (Index 8.63) and Juanfran (Index 8.01) have proved with effort and excellent performances that they could be right back of Spain in the World Cup. In fact, Arbeloa has lost his place because the great moment of the young player of Real Madrid. Here the average of both players is displayed:

A priori these should be in charge of commanding the defense of both teams (if there is no last minute surprise), although it is also possible to line up Varane as couple with Ramos, only if Pepe couldn?t recover on time. On the other hand Insúa is the player that has supplied with guarantees the left side, but in this time his participation is not foreseen as necessary, because Atletico arrives with their defense in time.

The Misteryes

In the midfield, Carlo Ancelotti will have to replace Xabi Alonso?s (Index 8.82) important absence, who is not available in the game. The different options, Illarramendi (Index 6.92) is the one who played more along this season, although it has not been lucky (2.4 loses per match and 3 blunder that could have serious consequences for his team. Even this, he is who had more confidence for his coach.

Casemiro (Index 7.71), a player who had great performance when he had to play. In Quarter Final against Borussia he played a great game and could be the surprise in the lineup. Kedhira (Index 7.72) would be te best replace but unfortunately it has just gone out of a long injury and his lack of rhythm competitive reduce options to start from the beginning.

Another one of the alternatives, include Isco (Index 8.51) on the field more advanced to fix Modric in the midfield although this variant is not probably cause Atletico use to play with players of containment. The Andalusian always has given good results (3 goals, 2 assistances, with 4.8 deep passes and 3.8 Offensive imbalances) so his participation would not be strange in the beginning or as an emergency substitution.

Someone of them will form together with the confirmed one Modric (Index 8.65) who finished to confirm all the expectations when he has signed 2 years ago. He gets 1 goal, 2 assistances and 6.8 Deep passes, 6 recoveries and 2 Offensive imbalances by game, which shows that the fans of Real Madrid had to be patients with the Croatian player.

On the other hand, the doubt remains in the couple of midfielders because Simeone has Gabi (Index 8.46), Tiago (Index 8.44) and Mario Suarez (Index 8.44) to start from the beginning. All of them have played in all the competitions but probably Tiago and Suarez disputes the square to play next to Gabi, who only miss the last game.

Tiago has played more in Champions League cause Suarez was in La Liga. His presence would not be weird in the line up; with an average of 10 recoveries and 1.2 Offensive imbalances and 2 Aerial duels. It?s predictable that the Portuguese participate which have more participations in the competition.

All the possibilities are possible, both could play from the beginning, in fact they played together against Chelsea (Index 8.07) and their performance showed there is no difference between initials and substitutes in this team.

Offensive power

Real Madrid has very good wings that were essential in most of the games. Between both, they get 8 goals, 9 assistances with an average of 10.1 Deep passes and 6.2 Offensive imbalances. Di Maria (Index 7.93) has 3 goals, 5 assistances, with an average of 6.1 Deep passes and 3.2 offensive imbalances by match. Gareth Bale (Index 8.34) began doubtfully but he recovered his best numbers (5 goals, 4 assistances with an average of 4.0 in Deep passes and 3.0 in Offensive imbalances. Great numbers that could help Real Madrid to get his 10º Champions league.

It will be basic that both achieve to complete a good game in order to find Benzema (Index 8.36) who is the most advanced on the field. The French arrives to the final after one of his best?s seasons in the team. He gave it back the confidence from his coaches with goals (5 in this competition) beside he really showed is a very hard worker forward who can create a lot of offensive actions (4 assistances, an average of 6.5 Deep passes) turn it as the Best assistant after Di Maria. An unknown skill from the Gailic forward.

Atletico has any doubt about the offensive task. It seems Koke (Index 8.44) and Turan (Index 8.61) will be in the lineup once again.

Koke is one of the best discoveries for Simeone and also for the future of Spanish National Team, who was pre-selected to play the World Cup from Brazil. His level in Champions League was great, non-forgetting that he played all the games (12) with the next performance: 1 goal, 2 assistances, with an average of 6.5 Deep passes, 5.1 Recoveries and 2.6 Offensive imbalances per match. On the other hand, Turan has had an important paper in the last step of the competition, scoring important goals and giving always his intensive effort based on sacrifice, fight and perseverance. He get 4 goals, 1 assistance and an average of 3.3 Offensive imbalances and 4.9 Deep passes which can influence the Final result.

The performance of these football players turned out to be important in order that Atletico gets his pass to Lisbon. Here we show you their best games where both obtained an Index of 10 against Chelsea (performance from Turan) and Barcelona (performance from Koke).

In this task, they will receive support from somebody else, who would be selected between Diego (Index 8.58) and Raul Garcia (Index 8.52). If the coach wants a direct game, he will have to choose the Spanish, who has played more minutes and has been essential in several games (4 goals, 5 assistances, with an average of 2.9 in deep passes, with the extra physical who offers his team, with 3.5 Recoveries and 4.0 in Aerial game per match.

If he prefers an elaborated game, Diego should be the chosen one to fight in this assault. Brazilian one hasn?t had all the protagonist that was waiting, but he always has answered with good performance (1 goal, with an average of 3.5 Deep passes and 3.5 Offensive imbalances in just 4 games.

Another possibility that Cholo can introduce, if Diego Costa doesn?t recover it in time, Villa (Index 7.89) who have played well in his first year in Atletico, as good as Adrian Lopez (Index 8.17) which also can appear if Turan doesn?t overcome his little injury produced in the last game against FC Barcelona (Index 8.35).

 Cracks

A great Final without these two phenomena would not be the same. Cristiano Ronaldo (Index 9.38) top performance of Real Madrid is also top scorer of the competition with 16 goals and Diego Costa (Index 8.92) top performance of Atletico, both players have shown that they are the leaders of their teams. Much of the performance of their teams depends on the performance of these real cracks, who have struggled to come to this event and they do not want to miss it. From SICO, we wish to have them in the Final at Lisbon, to enjoy with you all of what they can do. Their statistics are fantastic but the Portuguese has become a record man, without breaking point:

VERSUS

CRISTIANO RONALDO ? DIEGO COSTA