Key occasions
Preamble
Atlético have been paired with their Madrid neighbours Actual on 5 earlier events in Europe’s most prestigious membership competitors. The 1959 semis. The 2014 closing. The 2015 quarters. The 2016 closing. The 2017 semis. Actual have prevailed on every event. If historical past is any information, Diego Simeone’s aspect could as nicely flip it in now.
Latest kind gained’t give them any succour both. Actual gained the primary leg of this tie 2-1, regardless of an underwhelming efficiency on the Bernabéu final week. Then in La Liga on the weekend, Actual gained 2-1 at house to Rayo Vallecano due to first-half objectives from Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, whereas Atléti conceded within the 88th and 92nd minutes to go down 2-1 at Getafe.
There’s additionally the small matter of Actual Madrid within the European Cup being Actual Madrid within the European Cup. So it’s honest to say the playing cards are stacked in opposition to Atléti. However having stated all of that, they’ve gained two of the final three Derbi Madrileños at Estadio Metropolitano (and drawn the opposite) to an mixture rating of 8-4. And you may be rattling certain a aspect of Simeone’s isn’t going to lie down and die questioning. So this could possibly be a cracker, as the 2 Madrid giants battle for the appropriate to face Arsenal (or PSV, however c’mon) within the quarter-finals. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT, 9pm native. Additional-time and penalties à la Anfield if required. It’s on!
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