Champions League Final 2016: Players, Coaches React to Real Madrid vs. Atletico

Cristiano Ronaldo told manager Zinedine Zidane he was going to score the winning goal even before he took the fifth and decisive penalty to help Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 5-3 on penalties and win the UEFA Champions League on Saturday.  

Real Madrid needed Ronaldo to settle things from the spot after Sergio Ramos and Yannick Carrasco each scored in regulation time before things ended 1-1 after extra time.

It’s Los Blancos’ 11th European Cup win, and Ronaldo revealed on Spanish TV (h/t ESPN’s Dermot Corrigan) how he had foreshadowed his moment of glory to Zidane:

Ronaldo on Spanish TV “I told Zizou I was going to score the winner, so to give me the fifth penalty.”

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) May 28, 2016

This is the second Champions League that Ronaldo has won with Real in the last three seasons. The prolific No. 7 felt his side’s greater experience gave them the edge against their local rivals, according to Squawka News:

Cristiano Ronaldo on his winning penalty: “It’s always a lottery, but we showed our team has more experience. Fantastic night!”

— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) May 28, 2016

Buoyed by victory, Ronaldo shrugged off talk of winning another Ballon d’Or, insisting this trophy will always be more important, per SB at RealMadridPlace:

Cristiano: Golden Ball? Not obsessed with it. I’ve scored 50 goals and things come naturally. What matters is that we won the #uclfinal

— SB (@Realmadridplace) May 28, 2016

But Ronaldo was quick to give credit to the role played by Zidane, who succeeded Rafa Benitez as manager during the season:

Cristiano: Zidane deserves this win. He’s great, noble and humble. I’m extremely happy with him. #uclfinal …

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