REAL Madrid became champions of Europe for the 11th time, beating Atletico Madrid 5-4 on penalty kicks after a topsy-turvy 120 minutes that at one point saw Real lose control of a game they perhaps felt they had in the bag. Credit to Diego Simeone and his gravel-and-spit ethos. The decisive spot kick came from Cristiano Ronaldo, who got to be the poster boy after an otherwise largely anonymous game.

From the outset, there was a certain symmetry with the host city, particularly as far as the red-and-black half were concerned. Like Atletico, Milan had seen a European Cup slip through their fingers in Istanbul, a shock as extreme as Sergio Ramos’ last ditch equaliser in Lisbon two years ago. Now, just as Milan got another crack at it two years after their heartbreak (they beat Liverpool in Athens, redeeming the Istanbul debacle), Atletico now had the same opportunity. In keeping with the theme, Simeone’s crew ended up in Milan’s dressing room.

Many had imagined a familiar script, a sequel to what we’d seen in the semi-final against Bayern. Atletico getting an early goal and then forming a thick defensive forest, ready to swallow up whichever Real Madrid striker had the temerity to wander into their dark, prickly woods. And when the opponents ventured too far forward, Atleti would be ready to strike and unleash the twin counter-attacking terrors, Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres.

The problem with that script is that it was predicated on Atleti scoring first. And they did not. At the quarter-hour mark Toni Kroos’ free-kick was headed goalward by Gareth Bale, with Ramos arriving to stick it past Jan Oblak with his tippytoes. Replays suggested Ramos was offside, but Simon Beck, the English assistant referee, kept his flag down.

In some ways, this was always going to be a risk for Atletico. If you defend narrow and aggressively in the final third you will give away free-kicks. Against smaller opponents it was less of an issue, but against a Real side stacked with proficient headers of the ball – Ronaldo, Bale (who scored more headed goals than anyone in Europe’s big five leagues this year), Karim Benzema and the two centre-backs, Pepe and Ramos – it meant playing with fire.

A goal down, Atletico had little choice but to press on. And, here, Simeone’s words seemed eerily prescient when he talked ahead of the match about how Real Madrid had become a very dangerous counter-attacking team.

Which, of course, suited Zinedine Zidane just fine. Atletico actually ended up with 52 per cent of the possession at the end of the first half, something few would have predicted. Their pressure was honest, but disjointed and, other than a Griezmann finish, yielded very little. What Simeone could not afford, clearly, was a second Real goal.

Atletico needed to gamble. On came a winger like Yannick Carrasco for a holding midfielder, Augusto Fernandez. After less than a minute, Torres made all his experience count in winning Atletico a penalty when he set up to receive a pass from Griezmann in the box, shielding the ball from Pepe, only for the big Portuguese stopper to crash into the back of his leg. Clattenburg pointed to the spot, but Griezmann’s penalty thundered off the cross bar.

There were more opportunities for Stefan Savic and Saul. But Real had the chance to close out the game in a furious sequence that saw both Ronaldo and Bale have their efforts cleared off the line. And, as often seems to happen, they were punished, severely, at the other end. Gabi’s chip found Juanfran whose first-time cross was met by Carrasco, ghosting ahead of the immobile Danilo. Keylor Navas was beaten. Atleti had equalised. While Carrasco celebrated by kissing a fan in the stands, the red and white end kicked up the decibels.

It was a body blow to Real. They did create two more chances on set pieces, the old stand-by, but it was not enough. Goals like that deflate you. And so it was on to extra-time. By this stage, the minutes had taken their toll. Rather than clash head to head, there was an ebbing and flowing. Despite an intermittent Ronaldo and a Bale who by this point was clearly unfit, Real carved out their shots, charged down on multiple occasions by Atletico defenders. And Simeone’s crew seemed sparked into life by the magnificent Carrasco who toyed repeatedly with Danilo down the right.

By this stage, most players had broken down, physically if not mentally, as evidenced by Pepe’s attempt to put Carrasco into a leg lock and then pretend as if he had been struck int he face. It was clearly going to penalties.

Each of the first eight spot kicks went in. But then Juanfran’s penalty was saved low by Keylor Navas. And up stepped Ronaldo, who lives for these moments. He buried it and, with it, came Real Madrid’s 11th European Cup.

Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal (54 Danilo), Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos (72 Isco), Bale, Benzema (76 Lucas Vazquez), Ronaldo Subs not used: Casilla, Nacho, James Rodriguez, Jese.

Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Juanfran, Godin, Savic, Filipe Luis (109 Lucas Hernandez), Koke (116 Partey), Fernandez (46 Carrasco), Gabi, Saul, Griezmann, Torres. Subs not used: Moya, Gimenez, Tiago, Correa.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (England).

Scorers:

Real Madrid: Ramos, 15

Atletico Madrid: Carrasco, 79