Atletico Madrid have a chance in today’s Champions League final (kick-off: 20.45) not only to claim their debut Euro crown but to deny their vastly wealthier neighbours Real Madrid a record-extending 10th title.

Atletico Madrid have already outperformed this season in securing a remarkable La Liga triumph, shattering the domestic dominance of Real and Barcelona and becoming the first team other than the big two to win the Spanish title since Valencia in 2004.

They are also back competing with the continent’s elite after a lengthy absence and the first showpiece between teams from the same city in the 59-year history of the European Cup is their second final after they lost out to Bayern Munich in 1974.

Real, the world’s richest club by income, are appearing in their 13th final, but the first since their last success in 2002.

Their vast outlay is proof of Real president Florentino Perez’s obsession with winning what is known in Spain as “la decima” (the 10th).

After Real’s La Liga campaign faltered in the final weeks of the season, failure in Lisbon would be a massive blow to the construction magnate’s prestige.

Atletico and Real have met only once before in continental competition, in the European Cup semi-finals in 1958-59.

Real went through to what was their fourth consecutive final after winning a replay in Zaragoza when Ferenc Puskas scored the winner in a 2-1 success.

The city neighbours have met four times this season.

In La Liga, Atletico won 1-0 at Real’s Bernabeu stadium and they drew 2-2 at the Calderon in the return, while in the two-legged King’s Cup semi-finals Atletico were on the end of a 5-0 aggregate drubbing.

Those encounters are unlikely to have much impact on the Champions League final, with Atletico, unbeaten in Europe this term and on a high after wrapping up the La Liga title last Saturday, and Real under enormous pressure to avoid what would be a humiliating reverse.

Ronaldo’s influence

Cristiano Ronaldo, top scorer in this season’s competition with a record 16 goals, believes the expectation weighing on him and his team-mates can be used to their advantage.

“Since the first day we came here, we’ve felt that positive pressure to win the Champions League,” the FIFA Ballon d’Or winner said.

“Real Madrid have wanted it for a long time. It is a moment that the whole Madrid family are dreaming about – the ‘decima’.”

Atletico, meanwhile, are sweating on the fitness of top scorer Diego Costa, who has eight Champions League goals this term.

The Brazil-born forward, a Spain international, has been suffering with a series of muscle problems and limped out of last week’s title decider at Barcelona along with Turkey playmaker Arda Turan.

Simeone’s Real counterpart Carlo Ancelotti, bidding to become only the second man after Liverpool’s Bob Paisley to win the European title three times as a coach, also has injury concerns, with forward Karim Benzema and centre-back Pepe in a race to get fit.

Raphael Varane would replace Pepe if necessary while Alvaro Morata could come in as a straight swap for Benzema in attack.

Real’s chances were dealt a blow in the semi-final against holders Bayern when midfielder Xabi Alonso earned a booking that means he is suspended for the final.

They are likely to miss the control he gives the team and likely replacement Asier Illarramendi, who has failed to impress since joining from Real Sociedad, may be out of his depth against Atletico’s experienced midfield.

Atletico Madrid have held one celebration at the Neptune fountain in the city centre this season, partying with their delirious fans after winning La Liga for the first time in 18 years, and will be hoping to return with the European Cup.

Should they fall short, Real Madrid and their fans will flock to the nearby Cibeles fountain having finally claimed the elusive ‘decima’ after more than a decade of disappointment.

Champions League final facts and figures

• Today’s final will be the 59th since the competition started as the European Cup in the 1955-56 season. Real Madrid won the first five finals and hold the record with nine final successes.

• It will be Real’s 13th final in all and they will be seeking their 10th victory and their first since 2002. Their nine wins came in 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000 and 2002. They also lost finals in 1962, 1964 and 1981.

• This is the first final in either the European Cup or Champions League to be played in Lisbon since Celtic beat Inter 2-1 at the National Stadium on May 25, 1967 to become the first British and northern European club to lift the European Cup.

• Francisco Gento, of Real, holds the record with six winners medals followed by Alfredo di Stefano of Real and Paolo Maldini of Milan who both have five. Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas can pick up his third winners medal after playing in the 2000 win over Valencia and coming on as a substitute in the 2002 win over Bayer Leverkusen.

• For the second successive season, and for the fifth time in all, the final is being contested by teams from the same country, but never before have two teams from the same city competed in any of UEFA’s club competition finals.

• The four previous one-nation finals were in 1999-2000 when Real beat Valencia 3-0 in Paris; 2002-03 when Milan beat Juventus on penalties in Manchester; 2007-08 when Manchester United beat Chelsea on penalties in Moscow and last year when Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in London.

• Atletico and Real have met 194 times in the Spanish league and cup with Real winning 102 times, Atletico 46 with 46 draws.

• Atletico Madrid will become only the fifth club to win all three main UEFA club competitions if they are successful following their Cup Winners’ Cup win in 1962 and their victories in the Europa League in 2010 and 2012. Juventus, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Chelsea are the four other clubs to have won all three.

The previous 10 finals...

2012-13	Bayern Munich vs Bor. Dortmund	2-1	Wembley
2011-12	Chelsea vs Bayern Munich	1-1	Munich
	Chelsea win 4-3 on penalties
2010-11	Barcelona vs Manchester United	3-1	Wembley
2009-10	Inter vs Bayern Munich	2-0	Madrid
2008-09	Barcelona vs Manchester United	2-0	Rome
2007-08	Manchester United vs Chelsea	1-1	Moscow
	Man. United win 6-5 on penalties
2006-07	Milan vs Liverpool	2-1	Athens
2005-06	Barcelona vs Arsenal	2-1	Paris
2004-05	Liverpool vs Milan	3-3	Istanbul
	Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties
2003-04	Porto vs Monaco	3-0	Gelsenkirchen