Real Madrid come full circle 10 years on (Video)

Real Madrid begin their Champions League campaign at home to Manchester City on Tuesday with only one aim: to finally, after what will become 11 years, secure that elusive 10th European title.

Having finally secured the La Liga title away from Barcelona, Jose Mourinho’s next task before he can say “mission accomplished” to his time at the Bernabeu is undoubtedly to win the Champions League and thus become the first manager to conquer Europe with three different clubs after his previous successes with Porto and Inter Milan.

Many things in football have changed since 2002, when Madrid’s last title came at Hampden Park following a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen but for Los Blancos, things appear to have come full circle.

Back in 2001 a certain Vicente Del Bosque led Madrid to their first league title since 1997, a four year period that replicates itself for Mourinho’s Madrid, who before last season saw their last title come in 2008. That summer, Del Bosque saw President Florentino Perez’s “galactico” policy come to fruition as Zinedine Zidane arrived for a then world record transfer fee to join the likes of Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul at the Bernebeu. Zidane’s signing, much like the recent purchases of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso, was aimed at taking the European title.

With concentration firmly on the European stage, Madrid started slowly in the league, again much like this season and would eventually finish third in the final standings below Rafa Benitez’s Valencia and Deportivo La Coruna. However, the Champions League saw Real play their best football and after seeing off the likes of Roma, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, promptly dispatched Leverkusen in the final with the help of quite simply, one of the greatest goals you will ever see from Zidane.

Adam Mazrani

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