If Atletico Madrid are to progress to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League this season, they will have to do it the hard way. They knew they were in for a tough time when they were drawn against their more illustrious cross-city rivals, Real Madrid, in the Round of 16. Los Blancos are the reigning champions, having claimed a record-extending 15th title last season with a 2-0 win against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley, and the addition of a certain Kylian Mbappe has only made them stronger.
If the task at hand was already difficult, it got even harder when Carlo Ancellotti’s team picked up a 2-1 win in the first leg of their two-legged tie at the Bernabeu. Goals from Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz on either side of Julian Alvarez’s stunning equalizer were enough to secure the victory, but the live sportsbook providers don’t think that Atleti are out of it just yet. The latest odds from the popular live sportsbook at Bovada currently price Diego Simeone’s men as a narrow +220 underdog to win the tie overall and seal their spot in the last eight. And with the return fixture taking place in their Wanda Metropolitano home – a stadium in which they have been in imperious form this term – they are certainly not dead and buried just yet.
Atletico Madrid aren’t considered one of European football’s historical heavyweights. But over the years, they have certainly built up a reputation on the continental stage. Especially recently.
Maiden Final
Most of Atletico’s statement-making European campaign has come since the turn of the millennium. However, they did make somewhat of an impression way back when. They reached the semifinals back in 1959, where they were beaten by their cross-city rivals Real Madrid after a playoff in Zaragoza finished 2-1 to Los Blancos. 13 years later, they reached the same stage again, but this time around, they were beaten by Ajax.
In 1974, Los Rojiblancos made it past their perennial banana skin round and made the final, beating Red Star Belgrade and Celtic along the way. Unfortunately for them, they were then unceremoniously thumped by Bayern Munich in the showpiece, losing 5-1 across two legs. Following that defeat, they would feature just twice in the tournament across the next three decades, never making it past the quarterfinals.
Diego Simeone Ushers in the Golden Era
The Catalyst for Atletico Madrid’s rebirth as a European force came with the appointment of Diego Simeone. The club’s former midfield general and captain was thrust into the hot seat back in 2011, and he remains with the club today. He immediately set to work, winning the Europa League in his first season in charge (more on that later), before setting his sights on more lofty ambitions.
El Cholo led Los Rojiblancos back to the Champions League in 2013, and their first foray into the tournament in some four years ended up being a fairytale. Atletico topped their group undefeated, winning five of their six games to progress to the later stages. Then, they knocked off the heavyweight 2011 winners Barcelona in the quarterfinals and 2012 winners Chelsea – managed by Jose Mourinho, no less – in the semis, punching their ticket to the final.
There, they met their nemesis, Real Madrid, once again, marking the first time the Champions League final had ever been contested by two clubs from the same city. Atletico were huge underdogs, but they were buoyed by the fact that they had upset both Los Blancos and Barcelona to claim the La Liga title against all odds. With stars such as Koke and Diego Costa emerging, there were genuine hopes of an upset.
It looked as though those hopes would come to fruition when defender Diego Godin gave them a shock first-half lead in Lisbon. But Real would come roaring back, bagging a last-gasp equalizer through Sergio Ramos’s bullet header, before going on to dominate in extra time and eventually win 4-1. That started an epic rivalry between the two clubs from the Spanish capital, and they would meet in the Champions League in each of the next three seasons.
Simeone led Atleti to a second final in three seasons in 2015, but once again, it would end in heartbreak at the hands of Real. A late equalizer from Yannick Carrasco took the contest to extra time and eventually penalties. However, defender Juanfran hit the post from the spot, allowing Cristiano Ronaldo to sweep home and hand Los Blancos victory once more.
The following year, Simeone led his side to the semifinals, but once again, Real were waiting in the wings and ultimately emerged as convincing victors. Atletico haven’t made it as far since.
Europa League Glory
While Atletico haven’t managed to win the Champions League, despite reaching three finals, they have managed to have success in Europe’s secondary tournament, the Europa League. Quique Sanchez Flores led them to the final in 2010, beating English giants Liverpool on the way, thanks to an extra-time goal from Diego Forlan. The Uruguayan striker was on song again in the final, bagging a brace against a fellow Premier League side, Fulham, with the winner coming in the 116th minute.
Three years later, they were in the showpiece again, this time under Simeone. El Cholo was just six months into the job when he led Los Rojiblancos to Bucharest for a date with compatriots Athletic Bilbao. Colombian striker Radamel Falcao was the hero of the hour. He netted twice before halftime, while a second-half strike from Brazilian midfielder Diego sealed a resounding 3-0 win.
After a disappointing run in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage, Atletico dropped into the Europa League. But they went on to make the most of it. They beat Arsenal across two legs in the semifinal before resoundingly beating Marseille 3-0 in Lyon. Antoine Griezmann was the star of the show, netting twice in his homeland to take the trophy to Madrid for the third time in eight years. They are yet to hoist any European silverware in the seven years since.
