Defending champion Real Madrid travels to last season’s runner-up Atletico Madrid for the first leg of a Champions league quarterfinal with more than a hint of revenge about it.
last year, Madrid lifted the silverware by beating an exhausted Atletico 4-1 after a very late Sergio Ramos goal extended the match into extra time in the lisbon final. The manner of that defeat rankled with Atletico fans. Since then, under coach Diego Simeone, Atletico has been undefeated in the six matches the cross town rivals have played in — winning four and drawing two.
Now, Atletico’s best chance of advancing beyond the quarterfinals will rest on not conceding goals at home and whether it can establish a lead it can later defend away at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A Vicente Calderon stadium packed with fans has historically proved an important boost for Atletico, particularly since Simeone arrived as coach in 2011. With the Spanish league slipping out of defending champion Atletico’s reach this season after a 2-2 draw at Malaga, Simeone will be eager to show his squad still merits respect on the European stage.
Here are some things to know about Wednesday’s game:
RED-HOT RONAlDO
Cristiano Ronaldo — who has scored 49 goals in all competitions this season — matched Madrid great Alfredo Di Stefano’s la liga tally of 216 goals when he scored against Eibar at the weekend.
The Portugal forward reached the landmark in 193 games, whereas Di Stefano — whose memory is revered by Madrid fans — did so in 282 appearances. Ronaldo now has Raul Gonzalez’s record of 228 goals in sight. Ronaldo has scored eight Champions league goals this season, one more than the combined tally of Atletico’s attacking duo Mario Mandzukic and Antoine Griezmann.
BAlE IS BACK
Ancelotti’s favoured three-pronged attack of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale looks set to be restored with the likely reincorporation of the Welsh star into the squad.
Bale missed Madrid’s 3-0 la liga win against Eibar on Saturday after picking up a muscle strain as a result of a tough tackle during match against Rayo Vallecano. Bale began training alongside Ronaldo, Jese Rodriguez, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Alvaro Arbeloa, the club said.
MANDZUKIC RETURNS
Mandzukic, who was injured for Atletico’s last two matches, has resumed training with Simeone’s squad after undergoing therapy for painful tenosynovitis in his right foot. With 20 goals this season, the 28-year-old Croatia forward has enjoyed a successful attacking partnership with Griezmann. Between them, they have scored 41 times in all competitions. Mandzukic scored twice when Atletico beat Madrid 4-0 in February for the team's biggest derby win in 28 years.