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Real Madrid, Atletico play Champions League derby

By WTOP Staff

PAUL LOGOTHETIS
AP Sports Writer

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — For Atletico Madrid, the only thing in the way of the greatest season in the club’s 111-year history is crosstown archrival Real Madrid.

The Spanish rivals make up the first intracity Champions League final in history, with the match to be played in Lisbon.

Real Madrid is the competition’s most successful club and bidding to end a 12-year wait for “La Decima” — its 10th European Cup title. It recently had a 14-year unbeaten run against Atletico in all competitions come to an end last season, when Atletico won the Copa del Rey at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Here are five things to know about Saturday’s match:

INJURY WORRIES: Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return from injury to play Saturday. Diego Costa is unlikely.

Advantage, Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has been burdened by leg injuries over the past two months but said Tuesday he would be available to play in his first Champions League final for Madrid. Costa has also endured leg setbacks and, after hobbling off against Barcelona on Saturday, sought treatment from a specialist in Belgrade using horse placenta.

Ronaldo’s return will bolster Madrid’s already potent attack with Gareth Bale set to start. But striker Karim Benzema appears to be doubtful with a hamstring injury. Madrid center back Pepe is also a game-time decision.

ALONSO’S REPLACEMENT: Xabi Alonso’s absence deals an important blow to Madrid’s midfield.

The Spain international has been one of Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti’s most important players this season, but a yellow card in the semifinal win over Bayern Munich has left him suspended.

Either Sami Khedira, Asier Illarramendi or Casamiro is likely to fill the void and take responsibility for opening up Madrid’s attack and breaking up Atletico’s buildups.

Illaramendi is the natural successor to Alonso, but he has had a nervy debut season at Madrid.

“It will be a very equal match and I imagine the midfield will be determinant in setting up play,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

VILLA EXPERIENCE: Not only will David Villa’s goal-scoring prowess make up for Diego Costa’s absence, but the Spain striker’s experience should prove invaluable to an Atletico team short of Champions League experience.

Villa is the only regular in the squad who has played in a Champions League final before, scoring in Barcelona’s 3-1 triumph over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2011.

Costa’s absence could also bolster Villa’s hopes of playing for Spain at the World Cup.

Madrid can count on more experience as Cristiano Ronaldo won the title while at Manchester United and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was part of Madrid’s winning teams in 2000 and ’02.

Madrid can also draw on the experience of assistant coach Zinedine Zidane, who scored an iconic goal in Madrid’s 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in its last Champions League final appearance.

PAISLEY’S RECORD: Carlo Ancelotti has been able to get Real Madrid where Jose Mourinho never could, and now the Italian coach is one win away from matching Bob Paisley with his third European Cup.

Ancelotti, who also won two European Cups as a player, secured the Champions League at AC Milan in 2003 and ’07, leaving him on the verge of matching the former Liverpool manager’s record number of titles.

“There’s no pressure on me, just the joy of living this moment of happiness,” Ancelotti said. “A lot of (teams) have to watch this game in front of the TV and we’re lucky to be able to play it. I’ve watched this game on TV a lot of times and I didn’t enjoy it.”

Diego Simeone could become just the third non-European coach to win the trophy. The only other two were also Argentine — Real Madrid’s Luis Carniglia in 1958 and ’59 and Helenio Herrera of Inter Milan in 1964 and ’65.

DERBY TIME: Saturday’s match represents the most important Madrid derby after 194 league and Spanish Cup games.

Madrid has the advantage with 102 victories to Atletico’s 46. Atletico only ended a 14-year winless run against Madrid in all competitions last season when it won the Copa del Rey at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Atletico has won and drawn the two league encounters since, while Madrid easily won a pair of Copa del Rey matches against Atletico en route to the domestic cup title.

The pair have met in the European Cup once before — in 1959, when Madrid needed a replay to emerge victorious.

After the two legs finished 2-2, Madrid won 2-1 in Zaragoza to reach the final. But in one-game cup finals, Atletico — which can become the seventh team to finish the competition undefeated — leads the series 4-1.

“There are no secrets for this game,” Ancelotti said. “The two teams know each other well.”

___

Follow Paul Logothetis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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