The Champions League has delivered plenty of thrills, flashpoints and exciting games this season. But now, the tournament has reached its business end. It’s at the Round of 16 stage where clubs start to dream about lifting the Champions League trophy. And if there’s one team that knows all about lifting the famous trophy, it’s Real Madrid. However, standing in their way this time is a familiar foe – city rivals Atletico Madrid.
Looking to win a record-extending 16th continental crown, Real Madrid made light work of 2023 UCL winners Manchester City. Carlo Ancelotti’s side stamped their authority with a commanding 6-3 aggregate win over Manchester City. And at the heart of it all was Kylian Mbappe, who stole the show with a stunning hat-trick in the second leg, proving to be the ultimate game-changer for Los Blancos. But there’s no time to dwell on past triumphs, as Los Blancos now shift their focus to a red-hot Atletico Madrid side. That said, Madrid fans will take comfort in the fact that their team is riding an impressive nine-game unbeaten streak in Champions League knockout matches – a run that includes their march to Wembley glory last season.
On the other hand, Atletico Madrid didn’t have to go through a two-legged playoff to secure their place in the Last 16. They had already locked in their spot by finishing in the top eight of the Champions League's league phase. Along the way, Los Rojiblancos took down some big names, including Bayer Leverkusen, PSG, and RB Leipzig, proving they can handle high-stakes European nights. That said, history hasn't been kind to Diego Simeone’s men when it comes to facing Real Madrid in the Champions League. The two city rivals have clashed five times in the competition, and every single time, Los Blancos have come out on top. The most painful defeats for Atleti came in the 2014 and 2016 UCL finals, where they fell agonizingly short of glory. This time, though, Atleti will be hungry for revenge and determined to finally turn the tide against their biggest rivals.
Date: 5th March 2025
Time: 1:30 AM (IST)
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Location: Madrid, Spain
Courtois; Valverde, Rudiger, Asencio, Mendy; Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Diaz, Vinicius; Mbappe.
Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Galan; Llorente, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Real)
Defenders: Antonio Rudiger (Real), Javi Galan (Atleti), Raul Asencio (Real)
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real), Marcos Llorente (Atleti), Federico Valverde (Real), Samuel Lino (Atleti)
Forwards: Julian Alvarez (Atleti), Kylian Mbappe (Real), Vinicius Junior (Real)
Choice 1: Kylian Mbappe (C), Vinicius Junior (VC)
Choice 2: Julian Alvarez (C), Samuel Lino (VC)
The author has provided you with the above-mentioned match prediction on the basis of his research, understanding, and analysis, consider the points and make your own decision.
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