Thousands of Real Madrid fans piled onto the streets of the Spanish capital and filled the club’s 80,000-capacity Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday to welcome home their heroes after an historic 11th European Cup win.
An open-top bus emblazoned with the word Campeones carried the team, who showed off the trophy to fans just after sunrise on their return from beating local rivals Atletico Madrid in a penalty shootout in Milan, Italy.
“How can I not love you,” shouted the ecstatic crowd at the Plaza de Cibeles — a traditional meeting place for Real’s trophy celebrations.
Photo: AFP
The Real players, who arrived home from Milan at about 6am, headed directly for Cibeles where the fans had been celebrating since midnight. The squad snapped photographs of the raucous crowd from a specially erected platform, before captain Sergio Ramos waved the large silver trophy for the cheering supporters.
Later after being greeted by Madrid Mayor Manuel Carmena and heads of local government, the team returned to a full Santiago Bernabeu for a spectacular light and fireworks show.
It is the second time in three years that Real have defeated Atletico in the final.
“To win two Champions Leagues in three years shows that our efforts have had their reward,” Real captain Ramos said. “We are the best club in the world.”
The soccer-mad Spanish capital of 3.2 million people had been dominated by the two clubs crests and colors in a frenzied buildup to the final.
Praise poured in for Real Madrid, including from Acting Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.
“Epic final in the League of Champions,” he tweeted. “Congratulations to all... for the 11th.”
However, there were mixed emotions for fans in the city as Atletico — who have never won the UEFA Champions League — lost in the final for a third time.
“I am delighted. Two Champions League titles in three years, it is incredible,” said Monica Gonzalez, a 25-year-old Real fan. “They [Atletico] deserved it. They almost played better. I am happy my team won, but it could have been either of the two teams.”
However, Gonzalez’s boyfriend Jaime de Francisco, an Atletico fan, could not hide his disappointment as the red-and-white half of Madrid was forced to life in Real’s shadow.
Just 500m away from wild scenes of celebration at Cibeles, the Neptuno fountain — where Atletico fans celebrate — was empty.
Spanish sports daily Marca captured the mood, describing Real as “the kings of Europe,” adding that coach Zinedine Zidane had been “touched by a magic wand.”
“He was born to play for Real Madrid ... and to lead them,” it wrote.
“A supreme derby, exhausting, stifling,” sports daily AS wrote.
Spain’s bestselling El Pais described the final as “unforgettable and grueling,” with an editorial arguing that Atletico had nothing to regret, saying that they were “far superior at the start [and] must be gritting their teeth.”
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