(Football news) Brahim Diaz netted the late winner for Carlo Ancelotti’s side at the Bernabeu last Tuesday, after Rodrygo and Julian Alvarez had scored sensational goals for both sides in either half.
This fixture in the Champions League has always gone Real Madrid’s way, whether that be the 2014 and 2016 finals, or the 2017 semi-finals, but Atletico should have hope, considering they have lost just one of the last seven home games against their bitter rivals.
In cup competitions, Atleti are unbeaten in the last five meetings, winning four against Real, and they must win again here if they are to have a chance of progression following last week’s defeat.
Los Colchoneros have lost the first leg in a Champions League knockout tie on six previous occasions, but they have still managed to advance three times, with all of those turnarounds coming at home in the second leg.
Manager Diego Simeone saw his men achieve that at this stage last season, when they overturned a one-goal deficit to beat Inter Milan in the last 16 a year ago, and Atletico’s sensational home form in Europe suggests this will be devilishly difficult for the reigning champions.
The hosts have not lost at home in the knockout stages of the Champions League in 28 years, going unbeaten in 18 matches since Ajax won at the Vicente Calderon in March 1997.
However, Atletico did not prepare well for this one, after losing late on at Getafe on Sunday, when Mauro Arambarri’s double saw Atletico fall to defeat despite leading on 88 minutes—their first loss in that fixture in 25 head-to-heads.
That means Atletico have fallen to third and have played a game more than leaders Barcelona, who remain one point ahead of them, so after that slip up, elimination here would be a huge blow for their entire season.
Real Madrid will know they have to be on top form to get the better of their city rivals, especially at this venue with a raucous crowd behind them.
After winning eight straight away games at the Calderon between 2008 and 2014, Real Madrid have since won just three in 17, enjoying very little success since Atletico moved to the Metropolitano.
Real are yet to win away at Atletico in Europe in three previous attempts, but their pedigree in this competition means they will still be the favorites, especially after becoming the first club to play 500 and win 300 in it following last week’s win.
That success also saw Real win a fifth straight knockout match in the Champions League, as well as going 10 games unbeaten in the knockout stage for the first time in their illustrious history.
Los Blancos are also often capable of finishing the job from a winning position because they have only failed to advance once in 22 previous ties when they have won the first leg—against Ajax in 2019—and under Ancelotti, they are nine from nine in that regard.
Like their upcoming opponents though, Real were very unconvincing at the weekend, despite beating Rayo Vallecano 2-1 to go level on points with Barca.
The performance was not there despite taking all three points, as Rayo enjoyed more possession and outshot Real 20 to 10 in a very peculiar game at the Bernabeu on Sunday, and one that should be a wake-up call to Ancelotti’s side ahead of this one.
Also read: Chelsea face triple injury threat as they prepare to face Copenhagen
