Ramos: They said winning UCL two in a row was impossible, but we did it three times

A fourth successive Champions League win is the aim for Real Madrid, and captain Sergio Ramos has already identified that those who say it's impossible, also said exactly the same about their last two title wins.

This year's final is being played at the home of Atletico Madrid, the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, which is just two miles away from Valdebebas and 10 from the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, where Real Madrid's museum holds 13 Champions League titles, including four from the past five finals.

The distance is short, but the road ahead is long and hard.

New Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui will begin his first Champions League campaign with Los Blancos against Roma on Wednesday at 9pm CET, the team who knocked Barcelona out of the competition last season and will be received at the Bernabeu as a friend, at least until kick-off.

There will be an added incentive for the Madrid players to perform well in Europe this season following the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus; they will want to demonstrate that they can still be one of the favourites, despite the loss of the all-time top scorer in Champions League history.

With the final being at the Wanda too, that is a further motivating factor for Los Blancos and the captain Sergio Ramos is not hiding that.

"Real Madrid are always motivated to play in the Champions League, but this is special and different," said Ramos.

"The fact that the final is played at the Wanda motivates us even more - it is an added incentive."

The challenge that has been set by the Madrid squad is clear: to continue making history in hostile territory.

"They said that it was impossible to win two in a row - we did it," he continued.

"The same thing was said about the third and we also succeeded.

"This team is inspired by big challenges and winning the Champions League in the Wanda is another way of making history."

Of Madrid's four finals in the past five years, two have come against Atletico and the memories of Los Rojiblancos' fans will be a miserable one.

Diego Simeone's side came so close to winning their first Champions League title in Lisbon, before Sergio Ramos scored an equaliser in the 93rd minute to send the game to extra time, and in Milan they lost to their great rivals on penalties.

It is always difficult to reach the final of Europe's premiere competition, so it will require a maximum effort from Lopetegui's side, and while Los Blancos will be without Ronaldo, who has been so pivotal in the knockout rounds in recent years, the quest of reaching the final at the Wanda may be enough to see them through.