Atletico Madrid suffered a painful defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in 2014, and Diego Godin thinks the experience will assist them in avoiding a repeat on Saturday.
Godin opened the scoring when the two teams faced off for the trophy in Lisbon two years ago but, after Sergio Ramos' equaliser in second-half stoppage time, Madrid went on to claim a 4-1 win.
The pair will meet in the final again in Milan on Saturday, and the Uruguayan wants Atletico to use that defeat as inspiration this time around.
"Scoring in the final felt great, of course – it was a very nice goal – but we didn't lift the trophy at the end, and that was what mattered," Godin told UEFA.
"We lost, but you have to take the positives from defeats like that and learn where you need to improve.
"Now we're playing in another final and we'll have to use that experience to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Atletico's disappointment in continental competition was tempered by the fact they won La Liga in 2013-14, but claiming the European trophy remains a major desire.
"In the season that followed, it was hard to forget about that final; every player wants to make it to a final and win," Godin continued.
"But the disappointment was relieved a bit because we'd had such a great season, becoming Spanish league champions – a very important achievement for the club and for us.
"But of course since that final we've always said that it's still our dream to win that trophy, and we don't hide that – we say that openly because that's what we want.
"And we will keep on fighting for that. We have stayed true to ourselves for all these years now and if we keep doing that, we have a good chance of things going well.
"This final is going to be very fiercely contested, and very physical – it will be very tactical, but there'll be a lot of physical effort, too.
"It would be a dream for me and for the team to win the trophy this time, as well as for all our fans.
"It's a dream, just like winning a World Cup with my national team, and I'll work towards it until the last day of my career."
