El Derbi Madrileño: the classics

A host of the game's greatest players have graced what is always one of the world's most eagerly anticipated fixtures – El Derbi Madrileño, or the Madrid derby – down through the years. Spanish capital rivals Real Madrid CF and Club Atlético de Madrid have contested several classic encounters and, ahead of their most important meeting to date – the 2014 UEFA Champions League final – UEFA.com reminisces over some of the most memorable.

13 May 1959: European Cup semi-final, play-off
Real Madrid CF 2-1 Club Atlético de Madrid
Heading towards a fourth consecutive European Champion Clubs' Cup triumph, Madrid came up against neighbours Atlético in the tournament's last four. With both sides winning their respective home legs, the tie was decided by a play-off at La Romareda in Zaragoza, where the Merengues prevailed 2-1 thanks to Ferenc Puskás's 42nd-minute strike. "We were clinical in the game and played at a solid rhythm throughout," Madrid coach Luis Antonio Carniglia – forced to reshape his team due to injury to Rafael Lesmes – said afterwards. "The game was played with a lot of nerves, [but] Madrid were worthy winners," added Atlético defender Chuzo.

26 June 1960: Copa del Rey final
Club Atlético de Madrid 3-1 Real Madrid CF
"You went out onto the field at their stadium and saw this monster of a team with the likes of [Alfredo] Di Stéfano, Puskás, [Francisco] Gento; you didn't think you could win." So said Atlético legend Adelardo Rodríguez of the first of his team's five Copa del Rey finals against a heavily favoured Madrid side. Puskás's first-half effort at the Santiago Bernabéu put the hosts ahead before second-half goals from Enrique Collar, Miguel Jones and Joaquín Peiró helped the Colchoneros to their first trophy success in nine years. "We played, fought, suffered and battled and in the end that's how we came out on top," Adelardo added.

5 July 1975: Copa del Rey final
Real Madrid CF 0-0 Club Atlético de Madrid (Madrid win 4-3 on penalties)
The third meeting between the teams in the final of Spain's domestic cup competition was noted for its tactical battle. After praiseworthy performances by Atlético goalkeeper Miguel Reina and Madrid's Miguel Ángel, it was the latter who emerged the hero in his side's shoot-out victory, stopping penalties from Javier Irureta and Ignacio Salcedo to make up for Vicente del Bosque's missed spot kick. Victory at the Estadio Vicente Calderón against Luis Aragonés's Intercontinental Cup winners meant a Liga and Copa del Rey double for Miljan Miljanić's charges.

5 November 1994: Liga
Real Madrid CF 4-2 Club Atlético de Madrid
This was the match that attracted the world's attention to a 17-year-old Raúl González, the former Atlético youth-team forward scoring his first Liga goal for Madrid in his second senior outing for the club. "The only thing I know I must do is enjoy myself on the field; if I don't, my coach [Jorge] Valdano will be very angry with me," Raúl explained in the build-up to the encounter, in which all six goals were registered in the first half. Winning the penalty that helped the Blancos take a 20th-minute lead, the youngster then teed up Iván Zamorano for a second before applying a superb finish to Michael Laudrup's pass to increase the eventual Liga champions' advantage. Diego Simeone's first goal for Atlético from the spot made it 4-2.

17 May 2013: Copa del Rey final
Club Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Real Madrid CF (aet)
Dreaming of seeing their club end a run of 25 winless games against the Merengues that stretched back to 2000, Atlético fans feared the worst when Cristiano Ronaldo headed Madrid into a 14th-minute lead. Diego Costa's eighth goal of the 2012/13 Copa del Rey brought parity in the first half, however, before Miranda won the trophy for a tenth time for the Rojiblancos in extra time. "Madrid were more than 40 games unbeaten here [at the Santiago Bernabéu] until today; this is an extraordinary victory for us," Simeone said afterwards. "This triumph is for all those supporters who waited 14 years for us to beat Real Madrid," added Atlético captain Gabi.

2 March 2014: Liga
Club Atlético de Madrid 2-2 Real Madrid CF
A game of skill, high intensity and entertainment, the most recent match between Madrid's finest will live long in the memory for those who witnessed it. Karim Benzema set the tone with a third-minute opener, but it was Atlético who enjoyed a half-time cushion, with Koke's equaliser preceding Gabi's long-range effort. Ronaldo's strike nonetheless rescued a point for Carlo Ancelotti's men late on. "With Atlético tiring because of their earlier efforts – they couldn't press as much as they did in the first half – things were a bit easier for us [towards the end]," the Italian tactician explained after a pulsating duel.