Saul: Atletico don´t deserve second heartbreak

Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul could not hide his disappointment following Saturday’s Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, insisting the team did not deserve to suffer more heartbreak.

Two years on from Atletico’s extra-time loss to Madrid in Lisbon, Diego Simeone’s men came unstuck again against their Spanish city rivals, this time 5-3 on penalties in Milan.

After scores was deadlocked 1-1 at the end of extra time as Yannick Carrasco cancelled out Sergio Ramos’ first-half opener, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning penalty in the shoot-out following Juanfran’s missed spot-kick.

Speaking afterwards, Saul – who saw team-mate Antoine Griezmann’s penalty rattle the crossbar four minutes into the second half – said: “It is very painful.

“This dressing room does not deserve this to happen twice. It was a very intense game, we were all dead out there.”

Atletico, who upstaged defending champions Barcelona and Bayern Munich en route to the showpiece at San Siro, have now lost three Champions League finals in their bid for a maiden crown.

But the 21-year-old Spain international – set to feature at Euro 2016 in France – said Atletico will bounce back in 2016-17.

“Next season, we are ready for the Champions League, the league and everything but our ambitions are always on a game-by-game basis,” he added.

“[We will] fight for it [Champions League] until we get it.”