Madrid: The Copa del Rey trophy was supposed to be coach Jose Mourinho's parting gift for Real Madrid, or at least a consolation prize after a season that will be remembered for his abrasive antics and his team's failure to win silverware.
Instead, Atletico Madrid ended a 14-year winless run against their city rivals by taking the title on Friday, coming from behind for a cathartic 2-1 win in extra time after Mourinho and his star forward Cristiano Ronaldo were sent off.
Brazilian defender Miranda headed in Jorge "Koke" Resurrecion's cross in the eighth minute of extra time to give Atletico its 10th Copa del Rey title and first since 1996.
"This is for our fans that have suffered for 14 years," Atletico's captain Gabi Fernandez said moments before he received the trophy from Spain's King Juan Carlos. "This team worked hard for this and deserved it."...
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07:30 AM, May 18, 2013
Barcelona: With a return to England looking likely, Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho can go out a winner when his team plays crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid on Friday in the Copa del Rey final. Luckily for Mourinho and Madrid, Atletico have been incapable of winning a Spanish capital derby so far this millennium. Atletico's last victory over their city rivals came 14 years ago, in 1999. Since then, Madrid have...
09:37 AM, May 17, 2013
Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo headed in two goals to help Real Madrid beat Valladolid 4-3 in the Spanish league on Saturday, but the entertaining win was overshadowed by growing dissatisfaction with coach Jose Mourinho for criticizing the club. Madrid's ninth straight home win in league play denied Barcelona the chance to clinch the league title this weekend. Madrid reduced Barcelona's lead to eight points, meaning the Catalan side can't seal the...
08:40 AM, May 05, 2013
Barcelona: With both Barcelona and Real Madrid still smarting from their respective Champions League collapses, the talk is already turning to what changes can be made - maybe even need to be made - for next season. Both Spanish teams lost to German opposition in the semi-finals. Bayern Munich routed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate, and Borussia Dortmund survived a second-leg loss to reach the final with a 4-3 combined score...
06:29 PM, May 03, 2013
Madrid: The failure of Barcelona and Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final on May 25 has allowed La Liga to rearrange the penultimate round of matches, the Spanish league (LFP) said on Thursday. Leaders Barcelona were hammered 7-0 on aggregate by Bayern Munich in their semi-final while second-placed Real went down 4-3 against Borussia Dortmund. "In line with a prevision made in the calendar... that if no Spanish...
10:54 PM, May 02, 2013
Madrid: Needing at least three goals to reach the final for the 13th time, Real Madrid are ready to go after the "impossible." The nine-time European Cup winners are out to overturn last week's 4-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday. A tall task, but one that Madrid have done in the past. "This is our last chance to put things...
06:41 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is fit for Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg at home to Borussia Dortmund, after missing their La Liga win over Atletico Madrid through injury, coach Jose Mourinho said. The Portugal international, top scorer in the latest edition of Europe's elite club competition with 12 goals, returned to training with his team mates on Monday after sitting out Saturday's 2-1 La Liga victory. He...
06:26 PM, Apr 29, 2013
Barcelona: Real Madrid continued their dominance over Atletico Madrid by rallying for a 2-1 win at Vicente Calderon Stadium on Sunday. Madrid's win kept them unbeaten against Atletico in 25 straight games dating to 1999 and maintained their psychological advantage over their crosstown rival heading into their clash in the Copa del Rey final on May 17. Madrid were without top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, healing a muscle injury for Tuesday's...
08:21 AM, Apr 28, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo picked up an injury in Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund and is out of Saturday's La Liga match at city rivals Atletico. The Portuguese international has a "muscle problem" but the club are hopeful he will recover in time for Tuesday's semi-final second leg at home to Dortmund, assistant coach Aitor Karanka told a news conference on Friday. "Before the Dortmund...
12:42 AM, Apr 27, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid's nightmare in Dortmund comes as a greater surprise than Barcelona's mauling in Munich, given coach Jose Mourinho has given up on La Liga to focus on the Champions League. The nine-time European Cup winners were overwhelmed 4-1 by a dynamic Borussia Dortmund in their semi-final first leg on Wednesday, though Cristiano Ronaldo's away goal gives them a glimmer of hope for the return at the Bernabeu next...
03:28 PM, Apr 25, 2013
Dortmund: Robert Lewandowski scored four goals as Borussia Dortmund romped to a convincing 4-1 victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday and took a huge step toward the Champions League final. Dortmund's triumph in the first leg of the semi-final also lined up the prospect of an all-German final at Wembley Stadium on May 25, following Bayern Munich's 4-0 rout of Barcelona on Tuesday. The second leg matches will be played...
02:45 AM, Apr 25, 2013
Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 49th and 50th goals in all competitions this season as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while Barcelona didn't need Lionel Messi to brush aside Real Zaragoza 3-0 and ease closer to the Spanish league title. Ronaldo opened with a dipping free kick two minutes in and scored again in the 69th, before passing for Gonzalo Higuain to net a third in...
08:33 AM, Apr 15, 2013
Istanbul: Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals for the third straight season on Tuesday despite losing 3-2 at Galatasaray following a second-half resurgence by the Turkish team. Madrid needed a double from Cristiano Ronaldo to advance 5-3 on aggregate, but only after conceding three goals in a 16-minute span to raise Galatasaray's hopes of pulling off what would have been a remarkable comeback. Ronaldo looked to have wrapped up...
02:39 AM, Apr 10, 2013
Istanbul: Didier Drogba and his Galatasaray team-mates have a tough task when they try to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday. Drogba, who won the title last season with Chelsea, will take some cheer from his performance in Saturday's domestic championship game against Mersin Idman Yurdu when he scored two second-half goals in a 3-1 win. However, the...
01:30 PM, Apr 08, 2013
Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo went on as a substitute to seal Real Madrid's 5-1 win over Levante as they maintained their dominant form on Saturday ahead of their Champions League quarter-final at Galatasaray. Madrid reduced Barcelona's lead in the Spanish league to 10 points before the Catalan side hosted Mallorca later. Gonzalo Higuain's exquisite volley pulled Madrid level in the 36th minute after Miguel "Michel" Alfonso grabbed the visitors the lead...
11:47 PM, Apr 06, 2013
Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain scored to give ruthlessly efficient Real Madrid a 3-0 home win over Galatasaray in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. Portugal forward Ronaldo became the tournament's highest scorer with nine goals when he burst away on to Mesut Ozil's pass to lob the opener after nine minutes at the Bernabeu. Benzema slotted the ball inside Fernando Muslera's near post for...
01:16 AM, Apr 04, 2013
Portugal came back from 1-3 down to snatch a draw in stoppage time in their World Cup qualifying Group F match. ...
03:42 AM, Mar 23, 2013
Ronaldo ensured there was no letdown for Real Madrid after their win over Manchester United by scoring twice in a 2-1 victory at Celta Vigo . ...
08:32 AM, Mar 11, 2013
