He Athletic of Madrid, eliminated from the Champions League by the Leipzig, maintains for the third year in a row its barrier in the maximum European competition in the quarterfinals, of which it did not happen in the current edition and to which it did not even arrive in the previous two, neither in 2018-19 -eighths-, nor in 2017-18, when they fell in the group stage, although they later won the Europa League.
Almost a 'norm' earlier in the era Diego Simeone, because between 2013-14 and 2016-17, the rojiblanco team advanced beyond the quarterfinals in three of the four editions of the tournament during that period – they only lost in 2014-15 in that round to Real Madrid, in two he reached the final and in another he reached the semifinals-, now it is an insurmountable wall, which has not exceeded since the aforementioned 2016-17 season.
It has already been three years in a row without going beyond there. He did not do so in 2017-18, when he was displaced from the round of 16 in the group stage by the Chelsea and the Rome, because he tied twice with the Qarabag, nor in 2018-19, with the resounding 3-0 of Cristiano Ronaldo you received in Turin in the round of 16 after the 2-0 with which he had won in the first leg played at the stadium Wanda Metropolitano.
Of the ten times he has played in the quarterfinals, Athletic, including the defeat of this Thursday, in his 15 appearances in the European Cup or the Champions League, he was eliminated in four (this Thursday, by the Leipzig; in 2014-15, by the Real Madrid; in 1996-97, by Ajax, and in 1977-78, by the Witches).
Instead he made it through that round nine times. In three he reached the final (1973-74, 2013-14 and 2015-16), in which he was runner-up, and in three others he was eliminated in the semifinals: in 2016-17 and 1958-59, against Real Madrid, and in 1970-71 against the Ajax.
– Atlético's career in the European Cup:
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2019-20: Quarter-finals. Eliminated by Leipzig
2018-19: Round of 16. Eliminated by Juventus.
2017-18: Group stage. Third of his quartet.
2016-17: Semifinals. Eliminated by Real Madrid.
2015-16: Runner-up. Eliminated by Real Madrid.
2014-15: Quarterfinals. Eliminated by Real Madrid.
2013-14: Runner-up. Eliminated by Real Madrid.
2009-10: Group stage. Third of his quartet.
2008-09: Round of 16. Eliminated by Porto.
1996-97: Quarter-finals. Eliminated by Ajax.
1977-78: Quarterfinals. Eliminated by the Bruges.
1973-74: Runner-up. Eliminated by Bayern Munich.
1970-71: Semifinals. Eliminated by Ajax.
1966-67: Round of 16. Eliminated by the Vojvodina.
1958-59: Semifinals. Eliminated by Real Madrid.
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– THE ATHLETIC, BY ROUNDS OF THE C. EUROPE OR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:
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– Finals: 3
(1973-74, 2013-14 and 2015-16).
– Semifinals: 6
(1958-59, 1970-71, 1973-74, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17).
– Quarter-finals: 10
(1958-59, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1977-78, 1996-97, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2019-20).
– Round of 16: 13
(1958-59, 1966-67, 1970-71, 1973-74, 1977-78, 1996-97, 2008-09, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19 and 2019 -twenty).
– Group stage (Champions League only): 10
(1996-97, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20).