Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid Champions League Final Analysis 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo & BBC Vs. Diego Costa; Which Side Has Better Forwards?
Goals win games. That is as simple as it gets.
And goal scoring will undoubtedly play a huge role between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid in the Champions League final. Los Blancos finished their run to the final with 37 goals scored in just 12 matches while Atletico Madrid had 25 goals in as many matches. The numbers would indicate that Real Madrid holds a distinct advantage in the goal scoring department. But are their forwards truly better?
All but nine of the 37 goals from Real Madrid were scored by the team's top forward and 16 of those tallies have come from Cristiano Ronaldo who has been Madrid's top player in this competition by a long shot.
Ronaldo has 47 goals in the Spanish League and Champion League combined and 50 when his three Copa del Rey goals are factored in. He is averaging over seven shots per game and is terrific in the air. Few should forget that he scored on Atletico from the air during last year's Copa del Rey final; he has also scored three goals against Atletico Madrid in the team's previous four matches this year. He is also a lethal passer and has 14 assists across all competitions this season. He has been breaking records left and right in this tournament and will undoubtedly be the team's top threat. Of course, Ronaldo has suffered from injury over the last few weeks and could potentially miss the match.
Aside from Ronaldo, Real Madrid boasts the other two components of the "BBC" which includes Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. Benzema has five goals in 10 Champions League matches including the lone goal in the first leg against Bayern Munich. He also has five assists in the tournament and poses yet another aerial threat for Los Blancos. Benzema may be inconsistent at times, but he has come up big for Real Madrid in key matches.
Gareth Bale is of greater importance. The Welshman has five goals and four assists in 11 Champions League appearances but has come up huge for the team in its more dire moments. Few can forget Bale's heroic performance against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey when he burst down the left wing around Marc Bartra and dribbled the ball right into the goal for the eventual winner. He has terrific pace and is also a solid passer who was a major part of Ronaldo's record 15th Champions League goal this season. And one cannot overlook Bale's defensive contributions either. He was called up by manager Carlo Ancelotti to backtrack several times to help cover Dani Carvajal on the right wing. Both he and Ronaldo are elite freekick takers, adding yet another level of depth to Madrid's attack.
Aside from these three, Real Madrid has Alvaro Morata in store, but the youngster has yet to force his way into the starting lineup. He has six goals in 22 Spanish League appearances but has been madly inconsistent.
Diego Costa is the main man for Atletico Madrid with 27 goals in the Spanish League and eight in the Champions League. He is physically strong in front of the net and already scored a lethal goal against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu earlier this season. He is not a great dribbler and is weak in the air, but he has the ball in the box he is extremely dangerous.
The other main offensive option for Los Colchoneros is David Villa, who has 13 goals in the Spanish League this year. Despite playing in six Champions League games, Villa has yet to open his goal scoring account yet. He has lost a lot of his potency in recent years due to injury, but he is still a lethal striker with the ball on his feet in proximity to the goal.
Who has the edge?
Ronaldo alone makes Madrid the better team in this respect. He is enjoying arguably the greatest season of his career and has broken several records in this competition. He will be hungry not only lift his first Champions League trophy as a member of Real Madrid (he previously won it in 2007-08 with Manchester United), but will look to extend his goal-scoring record in the competition. Throw in Bale and Benzema and Madrid has a front-line that can tear teams apart on its own. Atletico's Costa is a fine player, but he is not on the same level as Ronaldo. Real Madrid has a significant advantage over Atletico Madrid at the forward position.