UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – Preview, Team News, Potential XI, H2H, and Prediction

Cross-town foes Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will lock horns in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the fabled Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday, 4th March. 

While Atletico claimed a top-eight finish to automatically qualify for the Round of 16, record 15-time winners Los Blancos had to do it the hard way. They overcame Pep Guardiola’s formidable Manchester City to book their place in the pre-quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – Preview

Real Madrid

The UEFA Champions League holders put on quite a show in the playoffs against Manchester City, overpowering the English champions across both legs. The All-Whites clinched a 3-2 victory away at the Etihad Stadium before securing a comfortable 3-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Kylian Mbappe scored a superb hat-trick in the second leg to take the match ball home.

Despite dominating Manchester City, Madrid have not looked unbeatable lately, especially in Spain. Since the second-leg win over City, they have won two games and lost one, beating Girona and Real Sociedad in La Liga and Copa del Rey quarter-final first-leg, respectively, before losing 2-1 to Real Betis on March 1st. Since the start of February, the All-Whites have amassed just five points out of 15 in La Liga. Their latest setback dropped them to third place in the Spanish top-flight rankings.

Atletico Madrid

In contrast, two-time UEFA Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid were in superb form in the league phase. They won six games and lost twice. With 18 points to their name, Los Rojiblancos finished in fifth place, with only Inter Milan, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Liverpool outscoring them.

Diego Simeone’s side have lost just one of 26 games since the end of October, winning an impressive 21 times. They are currently on a 10-game unbeaten run in all competitions, and they have every right to fancy themselves against the Whites this Tuesday.

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – Team News, Potential XI, and Head-to-Head

Real Madrid

Ancelotti will have to make do without defenders Eder Militao (knee), Dani Carvajal (knee), and Jesus Vallejo (hamstring) and midfielders Jude Bellingham (yellow-card suspension) and Dani Ceballos (hamstring) on Tuesday. The Italian, however, has confirmed that Federico Valverde will feature after missing the game against Real Betis.

Potential XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Modric, Tchouameni; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.

Atletico Madrid

Simeone, meanwhile, will not have the experience of Cesar Azpilicueta (leg) and Koke (thigh) to call upon at the Bernabeu.

Potential XI: Oblak; Molina, Gimenez, Le Normand, Galan; Llorente, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez

Head-to-Head

The two Madrid clubs have clashed 236 times over the years. Madrid have been dominant, winning 120 matches. Atletico have won 59 games, while 57 games have ended in a draw. They have met nine times in the Champions League, with five Madrid wins, two draws, and two Atletico triumphs.

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid – Prediction

The last three meetings between the neighbours have ended in 1-1 draws. Los Merengues will be eager to secure a lead this Tuesday, but we are not sure they can overpower Atletico in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg.

Our prediction: 1-1