Last season, Real Madrid became the first club in history to win any European title 10 times. This season, Real Madrid are hoping to become the first club in history to win back-to-back Champions League titles, the biggest obstacle in their way to achieve this feat takes place tomorrow. The recent history of the Madrid Derby is quite astonishing once you really look at it, Atletico went a full 13 years (or 25 matches) without a single win vs Real Madrid (6 draws and 19 losses). However, now, the table has turned, as Simeone's men have lost none of the last 6 Madrid Derbies and have suffered just one loss from the last 8 derbies (that being the 2013/14's UCL final). It really does seem that Diego Simeone has found the perfect plan for Real Madrid and Ancelotti. Ancelotti also hasn't particularly made Atletico's job much harder as he has rolled out basically the same formation in each of the last 6 meetings that occurred this season, the ill-fated 4-3-3. It is thus understandable that Madridistas have hoped and wished for a change of plans in the form a classic 4-4-2 with Bale (or perhaps a replacement if the Welshman proves to be unfit by tomorrow night) slotting next to James, Modric, and Kroos in midfield. This idea has gained significant traction as Real performed very well in the first hour of the Camp Nou Clasico, before being thrown into chaos due to fatigue and Barca's second goal. It does seem that in the Champions League, where
not conceding goals is enormously vital, that a rigid 4-4-2 would prove more effective against the reigning Spanish champions.
Against Barcelona, Real Madrid faced a team that pushed up and threatened with pressure, while Ancelotti's men sat back, defended, and attacked in lightning-quick counters, and if it weren't for particular wastefulness that night, Real would've probably avoided a loss. In the mind of this Madridista, a similar approach against a team with a lot of intensity and pressure, and who's desperate for goals before heading to the Santiago Bernabeu, would be beneficial for Real Madrid. As Atletico demonstrated just how vulnerable they are against counters when Barcelona eliminated them from the Copa del Rey and defeated them in the league using this strategy. One must also not forget that the Champions League have always proved to be a different animal when it comes for Real Madrid, just last season when Atletico defeated Real at the Bernabeu and drew with them at the Calderon in the league, Real came back to win the final of the Champions League. Perhaps the allure of the Champions League and the promise of going down in the history books for the second season in a row will prove the right motivating factor for Real Madrid players tomorrow.
Real Madrid Stats
- Real Madrid have scored 14 goals in their last 3 matches, while only conceding 1 goal in the process.
- Real Madrid have scored 72 goals in their 26 games away from home this season.
- Real Madrid have scored in 21 of their last 24 away games in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have kept 3 clean sheets in their last 5 away games.
- Real Madrid have failed to score in just 2 of their last 18 games in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have scored 2+ goals in 14 of their last 18 games in all competitions.
- Real Madrid have failed to score in any of their 3 trips to the Calderon this season.
- After losing none of the previous 15 derbies at the Calderon, Real have lost 3 in a row.
- Since Ancelotti became manager, there have been 11 derbies, with 3 wins for Real and 5 for Atletico.
- The last time these two teams met in the Champions League, Real Madrid won 4-1 (2013/14 final).
- The aggregate score for the last 10 Madrid Derbies is 15-15.
- Real Madrid have lost just 2 of their last 22 Champions League games.
- Real Madrid have won 15 of their last 17 Champions League games.
- Real Madrid have scored in 45 of their last 46 Champions League games.
- Real Madrid have scored 63 goals in 21 Champions League games since Ancelotti became manager.
- Real Madrid have won each of their last 6 away Champions League games, a win tomorrow would equal the all-time competition record (7 consecutive away wins).
- Real Madrid have failed to score in just one of their last 29 away Champions League games.
- Real Madrid have scored 2+ goals in 9 of their last 11 away Champions League games.
- Real Madrid have advanced in 9 of the 12 times they have reached the quarter-finals in the Champions League.
- In terms of Champions League quarter-finals, Real Madrid have advanced every time they played the first leg away from home.
Atletico Madrid Stats
- Atletico have lost none of the last 6 Madrid Derbies.
- Atletico have kept 3 clean sheets in the 3 Derbies at the Calderon this season.
- Atletico have lost just 3 of the last 12 Madrid Derbies.
- Atletico is the team with the least goals conceded in the Champions League this season (4).
- Atletico is the team with the most clean sheets in the Champions League this season (6).
- The aggregate score for the last 4 Madrid Derbies at the Calderon is 9-2 in favour of Atletico.
- Prior to this season, the last time that Atletico kept a clean sheet vs Real at the Calderon was in 1993.
- Atletico have won 4 of the last 5 Madrid Derbies in all competitions.
- Atletico average less than 2 goals per game in the Champions League this season (15 goals in 8 games).
- Atletico's highest goal scorer in the Champions League this season is Mario Mandzukic (5 goals).
- Atletico have played 24 home games this season in all competitions, with 19 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses.
- Atletico have kept 14 clean sheets from 26 home games this season.
- Atletico have conceded just one goal in their last 677 minutes in the Champions League.
- Atletico have scored just one goal in their last 325 minutes in the Champions League.
- The aggregate score for Atletico's home games in the Champions League this season is 11-0.
- Atletico have kept a clean sheet in each of their last 6 home Champions League games.