UCL Semifinal | A Madrid derby too close to call

When the balls were rolled in Nyon last month for the quarterfinal draw, most people were already looking to another Madrid derby final but the balls failed to produce that scenario. The Madrid neighbours have a two-legged semifinal to traverse.

In the two matches in the league this season, Real Madrid took four points but part of the anxiety over wrapping up the La Liga title was caused by the 1-1 result against Atletico Madrid last month where Antoine Griezmann scored the equaliser with five minutes left on the clock.

Having lost out to their more moneyed neighbours in two finals in the last three seasons, would a semifinal prove to a better avenue for Atletico to get one over the 11-time champions?

Diego Simeone believes the first leg result would be very crucial and that his side must avoid mistakes that would make the second leg at the Vicente Calderon a tenser affair.

“Tomorrow [Tuesday] I’ll put out a side who will do the fans proud. I am thinking about a solution in order to avoid any penalisation in the return. “The extra time at home in the second leg can be a disadvantage so we’re looking to do something to ensure that doesn’t happen.

“We’re not thinking about the return leg yet, just tomorrow for now,” he added.

But this is a derby that could go either way because of their many trysts in the last 36 months.

“The rivalry with Atletico hasn’t changed since I was a player,” Zinedine Zidane said at the pre-match press conference.

“It’s a derby in the capital. It’s intense, but the rivalry remains the same. We know each other well. We need to do everything welltomorrow. If we do it well, then we’ll see.

“To get to the semis means you’ve done great so far but this is a new game,” Zidane added.

Simeone would have to improvise in defence as Jose Gimenez and Juanfran are unavailable, due to injury, and could also miss the second leg next week.

Zidane has Gareth Bale out for both legs but whatever XIs are sent out – this is still a match that is too close to call!

Recent Form: Real Madrid [W-W-L-W-W]; Atletico [W-L-W-D-W]

Head to head

08/04/17     PRD    Real Madrid  1 – 1   Atletico

19/11/16       PRD    Atletico       0 – 3  Real Madrid

28/05/16     UCL   Real Madrid  1 – 1 Atletico [Real won on penalties]

27/02/16     PRD    Real Madrid  0 – 1   Atletico

04/10/15      PRD    Atletico       1 – 1   Real Madrid

Prediction: Real 1-1 Atletico