Real Madrid do 'la Decima'

Having made mincemeat of all challengers the Bundesliga had to offer, Real Madrid ended their 12-year wait for a 10th European Cup title in Lisbon on Saturday. The team that ousted Schalke (9-2 on aggregate), Dortmund (3-2) and Bayern Munich (5-0) en route to the final beat Madrid rivals Atletico to complete their campaign.

Diego Simeone's side will have to make do with their surprise triumph in Spain's domestic league this season, where Real could only finish third.

Yet for so long, Atletico appeared on course to lift the trophy at the Estadio da Luz in Portugal. Only a 93rd-minute equalizer from Sergio Ramos saved Real's bacon, having trailed 1-0 for most of the game.

"It's the most important goal I have scored," Spanish defender Ramos said afterwards. "It's an incredible feeling."

In extra time, Atletico appeared to be hanging on for a penalty shootout after the stoppage time stab to the heart. Elderly fans would have remembered the 1974 final, Atletico's only other one in the competition, when exactly the same fate befell them.

Once Gareth Bale, who spurned several top chances on the night, made it 2-1 in the 110th minute, the floodgates opened. Substitute Marcelo added a third soon after, then Cristiano Ronaldo won and converted a penalty kick to create the flattering final score, 4-1.

Horsing about, Casillas in no man's land

Atletico's concerns began even before kickoff, with the fitness of top-scorer Diego Costa in serious doubt ahead of the game. Yet his name was on the finalized teamsheet, amid talk of a mysterious miracle doctor's cure involving horse placenta. It sounded too absurd to be true, and at the very least proved ineffective - the striker limped off after just nine minutes.

The excitement was a welcome distraction to a stale opening period, marked only by one cast-iron chance. Gareth Bale capitalized on a midfield mistake and charged towards the box. The world's most expensive player finally pulled the trigger under pressure in the penalty area and the shot bobbled harmlessly wide.

After 36 minutes, Atletico's dream of a double of their own, denying Real's 'Decima,' took a major step towards realization. Real cleared a corner and Atletico hopefully headed the ball back towards the penalty area. Real's veteran goalie Iker Casillas completely misjudged the flight of the ball, coming off his line without getting close to the action.

This allowed Diego Godin, who beat German international Sami Khedira to the ball, to head over the stranded Casillas into an open net. The Spaniard scrambled back and palmed the ball out of the goal but not before it crossed the line.

Defensive display

Lacking the wealth of Real and Barcelona - and the firepower that can purchase - Atletico's domestic title was built on defensive foundations. The same was true for Diego Simeone's side once they had taken the lead. Atletico ceded even more possession to Carlo Ancelotti's side, who were rarely able to carve out genuine chances.

Khedira, himself recovering from injury without equine assistance, made way for Spaniard Isco after 59 minutes - with Real still trailing and rarely threatening. Angel di Maria was frequently the exception to this rule, but the chances were all falling to Gareth Bale. Bale fired a distance shot wide and then scufed an excellent opportunity with around 15 minutes left in the second period.

Real finally found their attacking gear - helped by active subs Marcelo and Isco - in the latter phases and put the leaders under pressure. When the fourth official held up the board showing five additional minutes to finish the second half, some Atletico supporters might have sensed the worst.

Sergio Ramos timed his run perfectly to meet a Luka Modric corner with 90+3 on the clock, heading past the helpless Thibaut Courtois in goal. Suddenly, extra time beckoned.

Bale's header breaks dam

Players from both sides struggled with cramps early in extra-time, but Atletico looked the most exhausted after their late heartbreak. Belgian international keeper Courtois kept the game open for a while, including with an excellent save on 110 minutes to deny Angel di Maria. But Courtois' parry rebounded onto the head of Gareth Bale - who made no mistake from point-blank after his earlier howlers.

Brazilian Marcelo's third displayed Atletico's dismay. Arguably Europe's best defense no longer had either the legs or the stomach to close the left-footer down; Marcelo accepted the invitation. Again, the unlucky Courtois got a glove to the shot.

In the closing minutes Cristiano Ronaldo - quiet for the most part save from some fierce free-kicks - won himself a penalty, converting it to complete a rather flattering 4-1 scoreline. Ronaldo scored an improbable and unprecedented 17 goals in this Champions League campaign.

"This match doesn't deserve a single tear," Atletico coach Simeone said afterwards. "When you give everything you cannot ask for more. There is another team and other players out there, and that is football."

In 1974, European Cup finals did not go to penalty shootouts. Then, it was Bayern Munich breaking Atletico's hearts with a 120th minute equalizer. Instead of penalties, this forced a replay, which Bayern won 4-0. The "pupas" or "jinxed ones" nickname sometimes attached to Atletico stems from this defeat, but could just as easily have applied to Saturday's.