Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will be facing off in one of the ties of the round in the last 16 of the Champions League, having been drawn together on Friday. It should be a very close two matches if the first two encounters of the season are anything to go by, with those both finishing 1-1.
Given their record in the Champions League, Real Madrid will start the tie as favourites, although Atleti are more than capable of causing a shock. However, they will not do so according to Bayern Munich and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus, as per Diario AS.
“I would have preferred to see an international match at this stage rather than the Madrid derby. The two giants have already met twice in the Champions League final and on both occasions there was a big fight. In 2014, Real won 4-1 in extra time and in 2016 on penalties. In 2014, the coaches were the same as today: Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone. They know each other inside out. They have already met twice in La Liga this season and the matches ended in a draw.
“In the league phase of the Champions League, Real Madrid lost three times and therefore had to go to the playoffs. But against Manchester City, Real Madrid were up to the task. As always, when it matters. That’s why I think Real Madrid will go through to the quarter-finals. But Atletico will give it their all again. Leipzig and Leverkusen have already been able to see how intense the second leg can be in their 2-1 defeats at the Estadio Metropolitano.”
Both teams will be keen to make use of their home advantage, and the fact that the second leg is at the Metropolitano, which should be a cauldron, does make it slightly more favourable for Atletico Madrid. However, Real Madrid are more than capable of winning there, which they almost did earlier in the season before a stoppage time equaliser.
