Atlético de Madrid has closed a demanding group stage in the Champions League, finishing in fifth place and securing their direct qualification to the round of 16. Diego Simeone's team managed to avoid the play-off phase, an important relief in the schedule, but this doesn't mean they will have an easy path. Now, the red-and-white team awaits an opponent in a knockout stage that promises to be extremely difficult.
The competition format leaves few options and practically all of them will be a challenge for the colchoneros. According to the pairings, Atlético de Madrid will face one of these four teams in the round of 16: Manchester City, Celtic, Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich.
How will Atlético's opponent be decided?
Real Madrid will have to play a play-off round against Manchester City or Celtic. The team that doesn't face the whites will play their knockout stage against Bayern Munich.
From those two winners, one will be paired with Atlético de Madrid in the round of 16. This means that Simeone's team could face their eternal rival in a classic, or measure themselves against two of the most powerful teams on the continent.
Advantages for Atlético de Madrid
Despite the difficulty of the draw, Atlético will have a key factor: they will play the second leg at the Cívitas Metropolitano. The stadium has become a true fortress on European nights, and Simeone trusts in the support of the fans to make a difference in the knockout stage.
Another advantage is that, having avoided teams like Barcelona and Liverpool, the red-and-whites could aspire to advance far in the competition if they manage to overcome the round of 16.
A decisive draw
The next draw will be crucial for Atlético de Madrid. A matchup against Real Madrid would bring a classic full of tension, while a duel against Manchester City or Bayern Munich would pose a huge challenge.
What is clear is that Simeone's team is ready to compete against anyone and will fight with everything to keep advancing in the Champions League. The path is already known to be not easy, but in this competition, it has been seen that the more difficult it seems, the better it is for Atleti.