Atlético has lived a morning of ups and downs in the Champions League draw. First, with the worst possible match, since facing Bayern Munich is practically a roller for anyone. In the second instance it will be Manchester United the rival (curiously the team that could not have left previously due to the error of UEFA when introducing the balls), a block with more cracks … but an imposing figure in attack: Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese has become a nightmare for the rojiblanca defense since his time at Real Madrid. A total of 25 goals scored in 35 games, the rival against whom he has played the most in his career and one of those who has scored the most times. A competitive beast that always comes out extra motivated against Atlético and that concentrates the ire of the mattress fans. Cristiano has been the executioner of Simeone’s team for several seasons in the Champions League and the rojiblancos have never overcome a European tie with the Portuguese in front of them.
The last time, in the eighth of the 2018-19 academic year. Atlético left a fantastic first leg against Juventus in one of the first great nights of Wanda Metropolitano and won 2-0 with goals from Giménez and Godín, the two centrals who left a huge game against ‘7’. But, on the return trip, Cristiano managed to turn around a tie that seemed on track with a hat-trick against which Oblak could do nothing. It was not the first time that the Portuguese scored three goals in the same match against Atlético in the Champions League. Two seasons before Simeone’s team visited the Santiago Bernabéu in the semifinals of the tournament and came out with a 3-0 impossible to lift despite the great atmosphere and initial brilliance of the second leg at the Vicente Calderón (2-1).
Another hat-trick from Cristiano to Atlético in the Champions League to which he adds a penalty goal in Lisbon in the 2014 final and the final launch of the 2016 shoot-out in Milan. The United star has scored seven goals in ten Champions League games against Atlético and stopping him will undoubtedly be the first concern for Cholo, where both have always shown mutual admiration (Cristiano appears in Simeone’s documentary that opens in January). Also in League and Cup it was constantly a headache.
And if the great objective of the mattress team is to stop the ‘7’ in defense, in attack it will be to overcome a De Gea sprouted from the athletic quarry and whose goodbye did not leave a good memory in the fans. He left only a year and a half after debuting with the first team with a shady start in the summer of 2011. The mattress parish did not like it either. his signing for Real Madrid, stopped by the arrival time of the fax to LaLiga. But, after spending the last few seasons with little brightness, De Gea has once again supported the Manchester United goal with great performances under sticks, and it may be difficult to overcome him. Varane, Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Cavani, Sancho… other stars that Atlético will have to face in a tie that is exciting.