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Why this could be the year Atletico finally get the better of Real


Real Madrid must do battle with their city rivals Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night in a match which pits last season’s finalists against each other.
Twice in the last three years Real have got the better of their foes from the Vicente Calderon.
Ahead of the first leg at the Bernabeu (live on BT Sport 2, 7.45pm), we look at how this might be the right time for Atletico to come out on top.

Barca battle

With less than a month remaining of the LaLiga campaign, champions Barcelona lead the table from Real – but on goal difference alone. Key for Los Blancos is their game in hand, to be played at Celta Vigo in the last week of term, but they are of course under pressure to match or better Barca’s results until that point. Boss Zinedine Zidane has no choice but to protect his first-team players in the Champions League as he pursues Real’s first Spanish crown since 2012.

The Ronaldo reduction

Real’s all-time leading scorer, author of a remarkable 101 European goals, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the deadliest weapon in the Bernabeu armoury. But he has not been at his lethal best this season thus far, racking up only 20 goals in the league – his lowest tally since 2010. Despite hitting the Champions League century landmark against Bayern Munich, his seven-goal haul in 2016/17 is nine shy of the number he bagged on the continent last term. A great player, yes, but past his peak?

Griez is the main Mann

(David Davies/Empics)
While Ronaldo’s star begins to fade in the north of Madrid, in the ascendancy above the river Manzanares is French sensation Antoine Griezmann. Shortlisted for the 2016 Ballon d’Or award, which went to Ronaldo, Griezmann is one of the hottest properties in world football having so far scored 82 goals from midfield in his three seasons with Atletico. His Champions League displays have helped Atletico reach the last four in confident fashion and Real will struggle to contain him.

Breachable Bernabeu

There can be no denying that Real are an awesome goalscoring force and that remains true in 2017. But defence has not been their strong suit this season and they have kept only six clean sheets at home in all competitions. Their goals-against column from league games at the Bernabeu is the worst in the division’s top six while they have conceded in every single European home game this term. Organised and tenacious Atletico, meanwhile, have not failed to score on the road since January.

Farewell to the Calderon

(Nick Potts/Empics)

Should Atletico stumble at the Bernabeu on Tuesday, then they can at least be assured of the extra motivation that will be attached to the return leg on May 10. The showdown will be the last European night at the Calderon before the summer move to the Wanda Metropolitano and when the semi-final draw was made, Atletico director Clemente Villaverde stressed the old stadium’s importance to the tie. “Our fans and players have lived through two lost finals and know what it means and takes to get there – a lot of work,” he said. “Hopefully we can give the Vicente Calderon the goodbye it deserves.”

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