The Champions League final is upon us this Saturday with the Madrid Derby rivalry renewed.

Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid met in the final of this tournament just two years ago in one of the most memorable finals in years.

Atletico took a 1-0 lead through a mistake from then-goalkeeper Iker Casillas and held on until Sergio Ramos fired in a header off a corner kick in stoppage time of the second half.

In extra time, Madrid destroyed Atletico, taking advantage of the team's defensive issues and injuries and eventually won 4-1.

Atletico Could Be Favorites

This matchup will be far different from that one as Atletico was a surprising squad, winning La Liga that season to the surprise of all pundits.

The team does not enter with as low a profile this time around, taking down Barcelona in the quarterfinals (they did the same thing in 2014) and then ousting Bayern Munich in the semifinals. Diego Simeone is a far more experienced coach this time around and his club is probably deeper than the team that made it to the final two-years ago.

Moreover, health is not as big an issue. The big story leading up to that final was the health of Diego Costa and his horse placenta speeding him back to recovery. Costa lasted 10 minutes in the final and ultimately cost his squad when Simeone ran out of a substitutions and had to field an injured Juanfran in extra time.

Costa is gone and health is solid throughout the Atletico squad. Instead of Costa, Simeone relies on the gifted Antoine Griezmann up top and a suddenly in-form Fernando Torres. Where Costa relied on his brawn and strength to dominate opposition, Greizmann and Torres provide speed and finesse among their bag of tricks.

Atletico's Solid Record Over Madrid

Atletico has Real's number during the Simeone era with a record of four wins, two draws and four losses since in La Liga since taking over the club. However he has not lost in the domestic competition against Madrid since the start of the 2013-14 season, sporting a record of four wins and two draws and an overall scoreline of 11-4 in that span. In other tournaments, including the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and Champions League, Simeone has a record of three wins, four losses and three draws.

Since winning the 2013 Copa del Rey final against Madrid, Atletico's fortunes have turned against their rivals with the team winning a total of seven games, losing four and drawing five.

The most notable wins for Atletico during this stretch include the Copa del Rey final in 2013, eliminating Madrid in the Copa del Rey last season years ago and defeating the team in the Spanish Super Cup. The team also had a 4-0 win in the domestic league.

Two of Madrid's rare wins against Atletico in the last two years have come in this very tournament with the 4-1 win the more remarkable one. However the 1-0 win in last year's quarterfinals was huge as it was Madrid's only victory in eight tries against its rivals during the 2014-15 and its only win over its rival since the 2014 final of the Champions League. Since then Madrid has won one of its last 10 against Atletico.

How Zidane Can Change Real Madrid's Fortunes

Coach Zinedine Zidane will need to employ a heavy pressing system early on to keep Atletico disorganized and pinned in its own end. Playing a slow possession game will likely lead to a repeat of Atletico's Barcelona win in the second leg of the quarterfinals. If Madrid wants a textbook example of beating Atletico, it should probably turn to Bayern Munich's effort at home in the semfinal, a 2-1 win that had Atletico hanging on by a thread throughout. Munich played with speed and tremendous drive on the attack, forcing Atletico into uncharacteristic disorganization. Zidane's team is capable of that kind of play, but needs to be far more direct, particularly on the flanks to dismantle Los Colchoneros.

Prediction

Real Madrid wins 2-1. Cristiano Ronaldo has a big moment.

Schedule & Streaming Info

The game will be at 2:45 PM EDT and will be featured on Fox Network.

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