Atlético hangs out from the European elite

Atlético lost to Leipzig 2-1 at the José Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. The rojiblancos succumbed to the Germans in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and, for the third consecutive year, they fail to pass this phase in the maximum continental competition. Has fallen removed in the group stage, in the round of 16 and in the quarterfinals, respectively. It is the worst streak since the arrival of Simeone, since in the first four seasons in which he played the Champions League with the Argentine coach, in three of them he reached the semifinals at a minimum (and in two he reached the final).

Simeone arrived at Atlético on December 23, 2011 and that season, the rojiblancos played the Europa League and ended up winning it (3-0 against Athletic Bilbao in Bucharest). The following year they played this competition again and they qualified for the 2013-14 Champions League, starting a cycle of eight consecutive participations in the maximum continental competition. In the first one the mattresses reached the final, facing Real Madrid and losing in overtime 4-1.

Next year, they also met the residents of the capital, this time in the rooms, with the same ending: The Whites went to the round after drawing 0-0 at the Vicente Calderón and winning 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu with a goal from Chicharito Hernández.

In the season 2015-16 those of Simeone they reached the grand final again, the rival was again his arch enemy and the outcome was the same as the previous times: the meringues took the title in the penalty shootout (5-3) after finishing the 120 minutes with 1-1 on the scoreboard.

The subsequent campaign it was the closing of this series of duels in the Champions League between both teams. The match It occurred in the semifinals and fell on the Madrid side, after winning 3-0 at home and falling 2-1 in the rojiblanco fiefdom.

Two seasons ago, Cholo's pupils said goodbye in the group stage, being third and being behind Rome and Chelsea, which led them to play the Europa League, a competition of which they proclaimed champions after defeating Olympique de Marseille 3-0 in Lyon.

Last year, his executioner in the Champions League was Juventus from Turin in the round of 16, which was able to overcome the 2-0 that the colchoneros achieved at the Wanda Metropolitano, winning 3-0 at the Allianz Stadium.

Finally, this season it was Leipzig who brought down the rojiblancos after winning 2-1 in the single-match quarter-final tie held in Lisbon in the special format devised by the coronavirus crisis.