Atlético Madrid took to the field at the Bernabeu tonight looking more like a sports franchise from Pittsburgh than a formidable football team from Spain.
A stunning Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick simply did little other than reinforce the notion that Atléti were out of their league, but offside laws and Ronaldo brilliance aside, the kit situation was the other main talking point from Madrid.
Considering the two sides had met in the Champions League four times in the past three seasons prior to tonight's not-so-close encounter of a fifth kind, many viewers wondered why the hell Atléti were all of a sudden forced to wear their away kit versus their arch rivals when, in all previous ties, and every season in La Liga, their home colours have sufficed.
Tuned in, fully expecting to be supporting Atlético, only to see them wear that monstrosity of a kit. Unnecessary and disgusting.
— Matt Greer (@Matt24Greer) May 2, 2017
Why have Atletico Madrid chosen this kit? Hoping for a change of fortune?
— jit 910 (@jit_316) May 2, 2017
Why are Atletico wearing their away kit?
— . (@_BOURGEOISXXIII) May 2, 2017
Rumours then circulated that Atléti had ditched their iconic red-and-white stripes for superstitious reasons, as they'd lost both the 2014 and 2016 finals - along with their 2015 quarter-final - to their neighbours while wearing home attire.
Why did Atletico wear their away kit v Real Madrid?
However, the reason was rather more straightforward - on the face of it at least. According to AS, Atlético were instructed to switch kits by tonight's match officials - including Premier League referee Martin Atkinson - in order to avoid a colour clash with Zinedine Zidane's men.
AS wrote of the change-up:
Having been knocked out by their city rivals in all three [previous] ties, there are suggestions that the step has been taken by Los Rojiblancos for reasons of superstition.
However, the decision is understood to be down to a desire on the part of Europe's governing body to avoid any possible clashes with Real's all-white home kit.
As to why the change would apply now and not in previous years is anybody's guess, but UEFA rules dictate that the match official has the final say on kits and potential colour clashes. Rather suspiciously, Martin Atkinson would later emerge at the Bernabeu wearing an extremely red shirt.
Another glorious night for English football in the #ChampionsLeague, Martin Atkinson was superb. pic.twitter.com/lbS5cqpdG2
— BoyleSports (@BoyleSports) May 2, 2017
