Ten facts and curiosities of the Leipzig-Atlético de
Madrid of the quarterfinals of the Champions League, this Thursday at the José Alvalade stadium in Lisbon:
1 – ATHLETIC EXCEEDED 6 OF 9 QUARTER-FINALS IN EUROPEAN CUP
Atlético is facing its tenth appearance in the quarterfinals of the European Cup, of which it advanced in six and was eliminated in three. They have overcome three of their last four Champions League quarter-finals, with Diego Simeone, the most recent in 2016-17 against Leicester, whom they won 1-0 in the first leg and with whom they drew 1-1 in the first leg. return. In the semifinals he was eliminated by Real Madrid.
2 – THE ATHLETIC, BY JOSÉ ALVALADE … TO THE TITLE?
Atlético de Madrid has played twice at the José Alvalade stadium, the scene of this Thursday's clash, and did not win in any of them against Sporting Lisbon (2-2 in 2009-10 and 1-0 in 2017-18, both in the Europa League), but he qualified in both for the value of the first leg and later finished as champion of the competition.
3 – 18 UNINTENDED ATHLETIC GAMES
Since last February 1, when they lost 1-0 to Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid has not lost any duel, not even in the Champions League – with two wins against Liverpool (1-0 and 2- 3) – not even in the League, with nine wins and seven draws. Throughout that stretch he scored a goal in all games for a total of 33 goals and received fourteen in the goal defended by Jan Oblak.
4 – THE LEIPZIG ONLY LOST ONE OF ITS LAST 16 ENCOUNTERS
The 0-2 with Borussia Dortmund on the penultimate round of the Bundesliga is Leipzig's only defeat in their last sixteen official competition matches, with eight wins and seven draws.
5 – THE ATHLETIC, 4 DEFEATS IN ITS LAST 7 EUROPEAN TRIPS …
The 1-0 against Juventus and the 2-1 against Bayer Leverkusen, this season, plus the 3-0 against the Italian team, in the round of 16 last year, and the 4-0 against Borussia Dortmund, also Last season, they represent four defeats in the last seven European trips for Atlético, which in that period beat Lokomotiv Moscow (0-2) and Monaco (0-2) and equalized zero in Bruges.
6 – … BUT ONLY LOST 5 OF THE LAST 30 CONTINENTAL DUELS
At the same time, on the other hand, Atlético have only lost five of their last 30 European competition matches, between the Champions League, the Europa League and the Super Cup, with 19 victories and six draws.
7 – THE LEIPZIG AND THE CHAMPIONS: 7 WINS IN 14 GAMES
Leader of their group in the first phase, with seven of their eleven points scored away from home, Leipzig have played fourteen games in the Champions League throughout their history, of which they won half, seven, according to statistics UEFA officials. In that tournament they have chained two consecutive wins and six games without losing, since the 0-2 defeat against Lyon.
8 – ATHLETIC'S GAME 50 THIS SEASON
The duel with Leipzig will mark Atlético's 50th meeting in the current season among all competitions, with a balance so far of 24 wins, 18 draws, 7 losses, 67 goals for and 38 against.
9 – AN UNPUBLISHED DUEL
Atlético de Madrid and Leipzig have never faced each other, starring in an unprecedented clash. What's more, the German team has never faced a Spanish opponent in its short history in continental competitions. It has happened the other way around, with 44 duels between Atlético and German rivals: they won 21, drew 7 and lost 16.
10 – WHAT IF THERE IS PENALTY? THE ATHLETIC WON TWO OF SIX IN EUROPE
If the match is resolved in the penalty shootout, the precedents disturb Atlético, who have only won two of their six games decided in such a way: in 2014-15 against Bayer Leverkusen and in 2015-16 against PSV Eindhoven, both in the round of 16 of the Champions League. Instead, they fell to Derby County in 1974-75, Fiorentina in 1989-90, Villarreal in 2004 and Real Madrid, in the 2016 Champions League final.