Real Madrid: story so far, key players, why they can win
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Article summary
Real Madrid made a sluggish start but, with Cristiano Ronaldo firing on all cylinders, the dream of becoming the first team to retain the UEFA Champions League title is fully alive.
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Story so far
For just the second time in eight seasons Real Madrid had to settle for second in their group – and, as in 2012/13, it was Dortmund who finished above them. The holders blew away the cobwebs in the last 16, overpowering an impressive Napoli side 6-2 on aggregate. Cristiano Ronaldo had been conspicuously quiet by his own high standards yet then hit five over two legs against Bayern in the quarters.
Record this season: P10 W7 D3 L0 F28 A15
Pivotal moment
There have been a few, mostly illustrating Madrid's ability to conjure the goals that change or define games. They needed late strikes to snatch three wins in the group stage, and they scored at just the right time in both legs against Napoli. However, perhaps the key moment came at the other end during the quarter-final first leg at Bayern, when Arturo Vidal blazed over from the penalty spot with the hosts already 1-0 up.
Why this is Madrid's year
Simply put: they have the stuff of champions. The same pervasive self-belief that got Madrid through the 2014 and 2016 finals against a redoubtable Atlético team makes it impossible to write off Zinédine Zidane's men.
Main attraction: Cristiano Ronaldo – To survive and prosper against the mighty Bayern, Real required Ronaldo to reprise the vintage scoring form of UEFA Champions League campaigns past. He duly delivered, his five goals also raising the possibility that he may yet finish as top scorer for the fifth successive campaign – Lionel Messi lies four ahead of the Portuguese.
Rising star: Casemiro – While Karim Benzema and Álvaro Morata are important support acts in attack, Brazilian midfield anchor Casemiro has become a particularly central performer for this Madrid side. The 25-year-old weighed in with the rubber-stamping third goal at home to Napoli, and even when he did err in the second leg against Bayern, conceding a penalty, he atoned by setting up the equaliser.
Unsung hero: Sergio Ramos – The captain possibly doesn't get the credit he deserves for his match-winning (or at least turning) goals. His header soon after the break in Naples removed his team from a sticky situation, and it followed similarly decisive scoring interventions in two recent UEFA Champions League finals as well as last year's UEFA Super Cup.
Top Fantasy points scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo (65)
