The curse of the Atleti quarters

Atlético de Madrid, eliminated from the Champions League by Leipzig, maintains its barrier for the third year in a row in the top 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 it fell in the group stage, although it later won the Europa League .

Almost a 'norm' before in the Diego Simeone era, 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 against Real Madrid, in two they 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 academic year.

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 Chelsea and Roma., because they drew twice with Qarabag, nor in 2018-19, with the resounding 3-0 by Cristiano Ronaldo that he 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 Metropolitan Wanda.

Of the ten times Atlético has played in the quarterfinals, including the defeat on Thursday, in his 15 appearances in the European Cup or the Champions League, he was eliminated in four (this Thursday, for Leipzig; in 2014-15, for Real Madrid; in 1996-97, for Ajax, and in 1977-78, for Bruges). 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 Ajax.