Page 35 - ADU Voice Volume 4 Issue 1

FALL 2024 • • • 35
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Lyan Isam Mushref 1080322

Real Madrid’s Greatest
Their fearful suspicions unfortunately come to
life, after Atletico defender Diego Godin heads
the ball just beyond the fingertips of
goalkeeper Iker Casillas, right into Los Blancos’
Football Moment: La Decima
net, as the stadium erupts into cheers.
Time keeps ticking, chances keep being
squandered into oblivion, as a quiet nightmare
slowly solidifies into reality. The ninety minutes
are over. It’s over. La Decima is gone. Then, the
Real Madrid is one of club football’s greatest referee raises a small screen showing that four
football clubs, currently holding a record 15 minutes are added as stoppage time, as a
Champions League titles and 36 La Liga titles. wave of feverish hope keeps pounding up the
When one stops to ponder and swim back in throats of millions of Real Madrid fans all over
time, there are boundless moments that flash the world.
into timeless memory, giving goosebumps
and priceless joy, such as Zinedine Zidane’s
2002 Champions League final volley goal and
Raul’s cheeky dribble against the goalkeeper in
the 2000 Champions League Final against
Real Madrid’s Modric takes the corner, then the
Valencia; however, there is one moment that
impossible happens. Real Madrid’s hero defender, Sergio
will remain everlastingly etched in the
Ramos, jumps high and heads the ball into the
articulations of time with the greatest impact
unreachable left corner of the net and then GOAL! The
and ferocity: It is the 2014 Champions League
stadium erupts into a commotion of sheer glee! Extra
Final, christened La Decima by Real Madrid
time is set, as Bale scores another winning goal as a
supporters, between Real Madrid CF and
header, and Marcelo scored a powerful third goal, then
Atletico De Madrid.
Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a fourth penalty goal!
La Decima, meaning The Tenth in Spanish, had always
been an obsession for Real Madrid and its lovers before
winning it in 2014, repeatedly being coveted and being
The once-half-fledged-nightmare has turned into a
attempted for in the past 12 years, but bearing no fruit. Real
timeless memory of happiness! Finally, Real Madrid is
Madrid faced so many heartbreaks after sealing the 9th
crowned as the Champions League winner, for a record-
Champions League victory in 2002, as they tried to win The
breaking tenth time, defeating their past demons! This is
Tenth (La Decima) but with repeated failures as they got
definitely the greatest moment in this legendary club’s
history. ■ knocked out once from Barcelona, leading to great
resentment, once from Dortmund, once from Bayern
Munich with a devastating semi-final penalty shootout,
and other knockouts from other big teams. This time, they
told themselves, this game bears a life-or-death
sentiment that will force us to either win or die, a motto our
past Real Madrid legends played into the club’s eternal
history.

The final is set between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid
on the 24th of May, 2014 in Estadio da Luz, Portugal, the first
Champions League Final to be set between clubs
belonging to the same city, bringing forth rippling
cascades of suspense and anticipation. Then, after a
magnificent Champions League Final ceremony, the ball
is placed on the center of the roaring pitch, and the game
begins.