Atletico Madrid have long been a team that nobody wants to face in Europe. Los Rojiblancos famously reached two finals in three years a decade ago, beating the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich en route to the Lisbon and Milan finals in 2014 and 2016. Unfortunately for them, their arch cross-city rivals Real would lie in wait, beating them in heartbreaking fashion on both occasions. Fast forward ten years, and the Metropolitano faithful are dreaming that this year will be different.
The reason for the optimism is simple. Atleti have already thumped both Real Madrid and Barcelona this season, beating Los Blancos 5-2 earlier in the year before reeling off a stunning 4-0 triumph over the Blaugrana in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final. While Diego Simeone’s side has fallen out of contention in La Liga, there is a real belief that this team can beat anybody on home turf and keep things tight on the road, a recipe that could well get them over the line in the two-legged Champions League ties set to come throughout the next few months.
Atleti under Simeone has long been known as a defence-first team. Their maiden final appearance back in 2014 came off the back of a staunch back line led by Diego Godin and Miranda, with captain Gabi and a young Koke anchoring in midfield. Two years later, that defensive front remained, but the additions of Antoine Griezmann – who is leaving the club in the summer – and Yannick Carrasco provided some much-needed attacking creativity that was missing in Lisbon.
In the decade since that second defeat in Milan, Simeone and Atleti have focused more and more on attack rather than defence. That shift in ideology has culminated with the ongoing 25/26 season, which, to steal a popular term from poker, represents El Cholo going “all-in” on his new attacking impetus. Those who play poker for real money will be familiar with the term, pushing all their chips into the centre in an all-or-nothing move to attempt to win it all. It’s a bold move in poker, one that is usually made when you think you have a particularly strong hand and an excellent chance of winning.
That is exactly what Simeone has done in the Spanish capital this season, signing creators Thiago Almada, Alex Baena, and Nico González in a bid to supply strikers Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sørloth with scoring opportunities. If he was sitting at a poker table, his opponents would all be casting him wary, impressed glances right now.
But it’s the winter addition of Ademola Lookman that truly has fans excited. The Nigerian international emerged as a superstar with former club Atalanta, scoring a famous hat trick in the 2024 Europa League final and developing into an all-round menace throughout his goal-laden three and a half years in Bergamo. Since arriving at the Metropolitano for a reported €35m on deadline day, the former Everton man has shone, helping himself to four goals and three assists from the left wing already.
His explosiveness on the left-hand side, coupled with the veteran link-up play brilliance from Griezmann, has Atletico purring in attack. But will it be enough to lead them to a maiden Champions League triumph this season? The story so far says possibly so.
Throughout the Champions League’s initial league phase, Atletico were imperious on home turf. Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Inter Milan were all vanquished at the Metropolitano, while PSV Eindhoven was beaten on the road. However, there are a few causes for concern. The 2-1 home defeat to minnows Bodø/Glimt could be overlooked somewhat as the Norwegian champions were in the midst of a Cinderella story of their own, but it’s the fact that Los Rojiblancos lost both of their away games against English opposition that truly questions their championship-winning credentials.
They were beaten 3-2 by Liverpool on the opening night, rallying from two goals down via a Marcos Llorente brace, only to concede a Virgil van Dijk header in the dying seconds. They would then go on to suffer a 4-0 drubbing away at tournament favourites Arsenal a fortnight later, a result that caused genuine concern for the continental aspirations.
Throughout the knockout rounds, however, Atleti have responded. They beat Club Brugge over two legs to secure their spot in the last 16. Then, they took full advantage of a Tottenham team in disarray to pick up a 5-2 win in the first leg of their round of 16 clash, and despite a 3-2 loss in the second leg, they progressed on aggregate.
Atletico came through the Spurs test, and they will face Barcelona in the quarter-finals after the Blaugrana mauled Newcastle United in the round of 16, with the aggregate scoreline being 8-3 – which included a 7-2 win at the Spotify Camp Nou in the second leg.
Atleti won’t be fearful of Barcelona. Far from it. Simeone’s side have just beaten the Catalonians across two legs in the Copa Del Rey semi-final, with their 4-0 first leg victory proving too much for the Blaugrana to overturn. A similar display in the Champions League quarter-finals and Atletico will surely fancy their chances of progressing.
