Real Madrid's 'terrible twins': Ramos and Pepe are the bruisers at the back that give a hard edge alongside the beauty of Ronaldo

Trust Sergio Ramos to rise above the routine and the mundane at Real Madrid's media day this week and liken winning the Champions League to making love. He stopped short of going into full Swiss Tony mode ahead of Saturday's showdown, but when he was asked if winning his second European Cup would top the first time he said: 'The first time - it's like when you make love. You always remember it but it's true that you can get better because we are usually a disaster the first time. So the first time is special but I'm ambitious and optimistic and I want to keep topping up my curriculum with more trophies.'

• SHARE PICTURE

+8

Ramos keeps a close eye on team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd left) during Tuesday's training session

+8

Real Madrid centre back Pepe addresses the media along with his manager Zinedine Zidane

REAL MADRID'S PATH TO FINAL 

Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar (group stage)

Malmo 0-2 Real Madrid (group stage)

PSG 0-0 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 1-0 PSG (group stage)

Shakhtar 3-4 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo (group stage)

Roma 0-2 Real Madrid (last 16)

Real Madrid 2-0 Roma (last 16)

Wolfsburg 2-0 Real Madrid (quarter-final)

Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg (quarter-final)

Manchester City 0-0 Real Madrid (semi-final)

Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City (semi-final) 

Pepe and Ramos have been superb in this tournament. Never mind the BBC - only two teams have scored against Madrid in the Champions League this season and their tally of five goals against is better than even Atletico Madrid.

For all that Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will threaten Diego Simone’s side, he will know better than anyone that it’s the terrible twins at the other end of the pitch he needs to get past. 

Despite all the red cards and the occasional harebrained runs forward, Ramos remains one of the best central defenders in Europe. And despite his advancing years and being written off as yesterday’s man by Mourinho, Pepe is still Madrid’s first choice.

The pair have very little in common off the pitch although they shared a dislike for Mourinho in the Portuguese manager’s final throes and were united in preferring him not to be brought back after Rafa Benitez was sacked.

Both men also have had more than their fair share of critics. Ramos’s detractors say he can’t be trusted. He can’t be trusted to stay on the pitch – sent off more times than any other Real Madrid player. And he can’t be trusted to make the right positional decisions – in the Clasico he charged out towards Sergi Roberto and allowed Luis Suarez to run in behind