Big Match Feature: Atletico v Real
Atletico Madrid has it all to do against city rivals Real Madrid on what is sure to be an emotional evening at the Vicente Calderon.
In what will be the last European tie at the stadium that has been their home since 1966, Diego Simeone’s Atletico is attempting to win a European tie against their neighbours at the fifth time of asking. Cristiano Ronaldo’s first-leg hat-trick, that gave the holders a 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu, makes that an unlikely prospect.
Real Madrid has ended Atlético’s Champions League hopes in each of the last three seasons, including dramatic victories in the finals of 2014 and 2016.
This is a fifth European meeting for Real Madrid and Atletico, all in the European Cup, with Madrid having won all four previous ties.
Their first international fixtures came in the 1958/59 European Cup semi-finals. Madrid won the home first leg 2-1, Hector Rial’s goal (15) and a Ferenc Puskas penalty (33) overturning Chuzo’s 13th-minute opener. Atletico prevailed in the return thanks to Enrique Collar’s 43rd-minute effort.
That meant a replay six days later, played in Zaragoza, where Alfredo Di Stéfano’s early strike was swiftly cancelled out by Collar. Puskas dealt the decisive blow three minutes before halftime to take Madrid into a fourth successive final.
Source: SuperSport
