Real Madrid this night overcame a first half deficit to beat La Liga champions Athletico Madrid 4-1 in the final of the 2014 European Champions League decided in front of over 60,000 ecstatic fans at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal. Real have now won the coveted trophy 10 massive times.

It was a classic derby (both teams are Spanish, and it was the first time clubs from the same city would meet in the final) in which La Liga champions Athletico struck first in the 36^th minute when Diego Godín beat Sami Khedira in the air and looped the ball over the onrushing Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who scrambled back to pull the ball away but could not get there before it crossed the line.

Diego Simeone’s side went in at the break with a slender advantage with Carlo Ancelotti’s side coming close to scoring several times on the restart but missing the mark – with world’s most expensive player Gareth Bale as the main culprit.

In a half dominated by Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos restored hope for his side with an injury time equaliser, powerfully heading Luka ModriÄ‡’s corner past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the 93^rd minute, thus stretching the match into extra time.

Bale made up for his misses by putting Real in front in the 110^th minute after speedy Di Maria’s shot from the left was kicked out in his path by Courtois. Substitute Marcelo stretched Real’s lead with a left-footed goal in eight minutes later. World’s best player Cristiano Ronaldo iced the cake with goal from the penalty spot in the 120^th minute after being hacked down in the vital area by Godin.

While it was the 13th European Cup final for Madrid – albeit a first for 12 years – Atlético’s only previous final ended in disappointment in 1974. This is coach Diego Simeone’s debut season in the UEFA Champions League; his opposite number Carlo Ancelotti, on the other hand, has an association with the competition stretching back almost 30 years, now winning it for the third time.

•Photo shows Sergio Ramos heading home Real Madrid’s gequaliser in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final . . . this night n Lisbon, Portugal.

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