The Champions League Final will be an
all-Madrid affair as Atletico and Real square off in Lisbon on Saturday
night. Graeme Souness, Jamie Carragher and Jamie Redknapp will be in the
Sky Sports studio and, in the first part of our preview, analyse some
of the main personalities involved...
skysports.com:
Many eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo on his return to Lisbon? Is he
the best player in the world right now and is he the man to watch on
Saturday night?
CARRA: In the debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel
Messi I have always favoured Messi. At his best he does just edge it,
but this season he has had injury problems and Barca haven't done as
well. Messi has looked off the pace, even though he's still scored
40-odd goals, but we tend to judge him against what he's done before.
This season, Ronaldo probably has the slight edge.
REDKNAPP: For me, at this moment in time, yes he is the number
one. I'm a huge fan of Lionel Messi but, with the injuries the
Barcelona star has had over the past year, Ronaldo rightly won the
Ballon d'Or. He has such a huge influence on the team and, if he's fully
fit for Saturday, he'll be determined to be the star performer in his
home country. He has his critics but one thing you can't deny is his
incredible work ethic. It's as good as anybody's and is the reason why
he has got to where he is today.
SOUNESS: He has been the best player in the world this year,
but he has had a hamstring injury and while I'm sure he will play you
hope he doesn't break down. Hamstrings are notoriously deceitful
injuries to have - they let you think you're ok but you can be kidded by
them because you hold back in training and the first time you get into a
match situation you let yourself go completely and it can go again.
Real Madrid will be praying he is healed 100% because the last thing
they need is for him to start and come off after 10 minutes.
skysports.com: Is a Champions League Final in his native Portugal the perfect stage for Ronaldo?
CARRA: It seems fitting and I think Ronaldo needs a European
Cup win at Real Madrid. He went there for a lot of money and despite the
phenomenal number of goals he has scored, you have to remember that the
European Cup is what that club is all about. You think of Puskas, Di
Stefano, Raul and Zidane - and Ronaldo deserves to have his name
alongside those in terms of winning the European Cup. The fact that it's
in Lisbon makes it look like it's made for him to do it - but it
doesn't always work out like that.
REDKNAPP: This could be Ronaldo's moment. The stage is set and
he's someone who revels in the big occasion. All the great players have
had their big moments - Maradona in '86, Pele in '70, Zidane in '98...
and this is Ronaldo's opportunity to win a major tournament in his
country's capital. Unfortunately football doesn't always work like that -
but maybe this is the time for Ronaldo to do it and add to that
Champions League he won with Manchester United in Moscow.
SOUNESS: I come back to the fact that this is such a big game
and I don't think where it is being played is an important factor. It's a
European Cup Final and you could play it on the moon and it would still
mean the same to all the players!
skysports.com: Gareth Bale is another potential matchwinner in the
Real Madrid ranks. How have you rated his first season in Spain?
CARRA: He's had a great season. There was pressure on him
going there with that price tag on him, but Ronaldo is there as the main
man so he's not had to go there and be the main man. He didn't really
have a pre-season and has had a few injury problems, so to get over 20
goals, lots of assists and play in a Champions League Final in his first
season is a great start - and there is only more to come.
REDKNAPP: Over 20 goals and over 15 assists in his debut
season in Spain is a great return. But am I surprised? Not at all. I
said when he signed for Real Madrid, there was never a doubt he'd
deliver for them. This kid is a fantastic player. He can run the length
of the field at full pace, score goals, he has a fantastic left foot and
is great in the air. Why wasn't he going to be a success at Real? He
deserves everything he gets. He's a great lad, has tremendous work ethic
- and he's making that £85m look quite cheap now!
SOUNESS: I think he's had pass marks. He has done well. Real
Madrid could play terrible on the night, but have got a few maverick
players who could come up with something very special and win the game
for them - and he is one of those. That's where they contrast with
Atletico Madrid because they are not relying on one or two players to
win it, they are relying on seven or eight players in terms of their
midfielders and forwards.
skysports.com: Speaking of Atletico, Diego Costa has been one of
the stars of the season, but is set to miss the game through injury. How
damaging would his absence be?
REDKNAPP: It's a big 'if' as to whether or not he'll be fit -
but Atletico have shown they can win without him. He went off against
Barcelona in the final game of La Liga, they went 1-0 down and still
came back to get the point they needed to win the title. They still look
a real team without him and this isn't a one-man side, it's
collectively very, very strong.
CARRA: It will obviously be damaging because he's one of the
main men and gets a lot of goals, but they managed without him at the
Nou Camp for most of the game last week and they got past Barcelona in
the Champions League without him as well. They have been without him and
they have dealt with it - and just have to do it again.
SOUNESS: You would want him on the pitch because he has been a
great player for them this year. They will miss him because he has won
games single-handedly for them - but they can still win games without
him and still get results without him.
REDKNAPP:Playing him would be a risk, too. If you start him
and he has to come off you lose one of your subs. It's a big decision
for Diego Simeone - but I guess it is worth the risk because he's such a
good player. He looks a Chelsea player; he's the kind who can make his
own goals, will wrestle the defence and hassle them for the ball. I want
him to play because I want to see Ramos v Costa, if ever there's been a
sending off in a Champions League final this looks a certainty! Costa
loves an argument and Ramos has had more sending offs than anyone ever!
It'll be fascinating to see them go head-to-head.
skysports.com: Atletico goalkeeper Thiabut Courtois has also
caught the eye in this campaign. Should Chelsea recall him from his loan
spell in Madrid next year?
SOUNESS: Petr Cech has been the best goalkeeper in the Premier
League and he is still only 32 - and arguably for a goalkeeper is now
approaching his best years. It is a very difficult call for the people
at Chelsea because Courtois is a very good player, but Cech has done it,
won the medals and should now be approaching his peak. It's a big call
for Jose Mourinho.
REDKNAPP: He's a very, very good goalie. Keepers normally come
into bloom aged about 26, 27 but he's 22. His ability belies his tender
years and he looks the real deal. He also has the presence that all
great goalies have. But Atletico's great defensive record isn't just
down to Courtois. Their defence is well-marshalled, with Uruguay's Diego
Godin at the back alongside Joao Miranda, who is quick. Individually,
if you took most of them and put them around different clubs they
wouldn't stand out but when you put them together as a team they're
amazing.
CARRA: I think Chelsea might recall him, especially after Petr
Cech's recent injury. Courtois is obviously an outstanding keeper and
he seems made for the Premier League in terms of size and stature. He
looks like he's going to be one of the world's top keepers - and in fact
he already is at the moment. I think he will be at Chelsea and there
will be a big battle between him and Cech. I don't think they'll call
him back if they're not going to use him and I see him playing a lot of
games next season.
skysports.com: Finally, let's discuss the two managers. Diego
Simeone has led Atletico Madrid to a Spanish title and the Champions
League Final. What do you like about him?
REDKNAPP: Simeone has got an incredible appetite for the game.
Watching him on the sidelines, dashing up and down the touchline,
waving his hands in the air, he's box office. He's been there, seen it
and done it as a player but he also has the charisma that all great
managers have. I like the fact he's stayed at Atletico for a couple of
years, built this team and tactics-wise he's proven he's really good.
Before long there will be other big clubs wanting him for what he brings
to the party.
CARRA: He looks to be one of the new breed of coaches on the
scene - and I love watching him and not just his team. I love watching
him on the sidelines and his passion because he seems so involved in his
game and in his team. It looks as though they would give anything for
him and for the club - and that's the type of player Simeone was. You
can see himself in his team.
SOUNESS: Simeone goes into this in totally relaxed mode
because he's had a great season no matter what happens. I like the
never-say-die attitude of his players and they are a real team and
believe in each other. Over a season the team with the best work-rate
wins - and that's what has happened this year without the need to rely
on two or three individuals to get you past the winning post. They have
relied on the collective so the manager deserves credit for that.
skysports.com: Carlo Ancelotti is looking to win his third Champions League as a manager. Has he done a good job at Real Madrid?
SOUNESS: Unlike his opposite number, Ancelotti goes into this
game with all the pressure on his shoulders. It all depends what happens
at the weekend. Real have had a nearly season and it could be a
disastrous season if they don't win it. You can't question the manager
on the strength of this one season, though. He has been a great manager
and won trophies wherever he's been. You can call him a great manager no
matter what happens this weekend.
REDKNAPP: Ancelotti is the opposite to Simeone. While the
Atletico boss is jumping up and down, Ancelotti is the most chilled out
manager you've ever seen. It doesn't look like anything bothers him,
he's very calm, cool and he likes to let his players do the work and
take care of things. Simeone seems to want to put his players in their
positions when they haven't got the ball and tell them where to be when.
It would be unfair to say Ancelotti doesn't worry about tactical
details, though - he's a very, very good manager, as his trophy cabinet
shows.
CARRA: From the outside he looks to be a very cool customer.
He has fantastic experience as a manager and has won the Champions
League twice before with AC Milan - and he may argue it should have been
three times after they were in the driving seat in Istanbul! He is a
fantastic coach and managers don't normally stay at Real Madrid for too
long, maybe a couple of years, and I'm sure he will return to the
Premier League one day. He will be very sought after because he has a
great CV, also as a player and that always helps. He is a cool customer
who doesn't get too wound up and the players always seem to like him. He
doesn't seem to fall out with too many people. I think he's a good fit
for Real Madrid.
