As Real Madrid claimed their 11th European crown in a penalty shootout against rivals Atletico, Outside90’s Brayden May takes a look at the players who struggled to come to grips with the occasion at the San Siro.
Pepe – Real Madrid
The Real defender has often been labelled as the victim throughout his career and his performance in the final did not help this tag. The Portuguese international gave away a penalty after he brought down Fernando Torres, although luckily for Pepe, Antoine Griezmann failed to convert from the spot and hit the woodwork. Despite being strong in the tackle throughout the match, this was not one of the better outings of his career. A number of challenges in the second-half saw Pepe try to convince referee Mark Clattenburg that he was seriously hurt, but the man in charge did not fall for his antics.
Augusto Fernandez – Atletico Madrid
Fernandez was limited in his impact on the match as a quiet first-half saw him replaced at the interval with his side in search of an equaliser. Despite a bright start to the game where he was smart in possession, things quickly turned for the 30-year-old as he began to lose the ball easily or send out misplaced passes on numerous occasions. The decision to replace him at halftime was a positive one, as replacement Yannick Carrasco levelled for his side.
Saul Niguez – Atletico Madrid
The hero from the semi-final against Bayern Munich could not produce a similar moment of magic for his side against cross town rivals Real in the final. The youngster, who is being linked with a move to England’s Premier League, was kept relatively quiet by Zinedine Zidane’s men. The 21-year-old managed to find more time and space as the game went on, but despite the tired legs of the opposition, he could not use this to his advantage as the game went to extra-time before ultimately being decided in the shootout.
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