Madrid duo reign in Europe
Print Edition
MADRID clubs are making a habit of succeeding in Europe.
For the third time in four seasons, both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have made it to UEFA Champions League semifinals.
Real reached the last four for the seventh straight time on Tuesday by eliminating Bayern Munich 6-3 on aggregate after a hat trick from Cristiano Ronaldo in a 4-2 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Atletico advanced to the semis for the third time in four years by getting past Leicester City 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-1 second-leg draw in England.
Barcelona could be the other Spanish club to join the party if it overturns a 0-3 first-leg loss against Italian champion Juventus at the Camp Nou. Spanish clubs have won the European competition the last three seasons.
Real and Atletico made it all the way to the final in 2014 and 2016, with Real coming out on top both times. The rivals also met in the quarterfinals in 2014-15, when Real again succeeded but was knocked out in the next round by Juventus.
A draw tomorrow will determine whether there will be another matchup between the Madrid clubs right away in the semifinals or if there will be another possibility for a derby in the final in Cardiff.
The other semifinalist will be either Monaco or Borussia Dortmund, who are playing in France. Monaco won the first leg 3-2.
“Let’s see what happens on Friday,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane said. “We are Real Madrid and if we want to win something we have to play against everyone.”
Real is going for a record 12th title in Europe’s top club competition.
“It’s too early to think about that, but hopefully that’s what we will achieve in the end,” said Ronaldo, who on Tuesday became the first player to score 100 UCL goals. He had scored twice in the first leg against Bayern in Munich.
Atletico will be trying to win its first European Cup title and put an end to an uncomfortable streak of runner-up finishes. In addition to the recent losses to Real, it also finished second in the 1974 final against Bayern.
“It’s thrilling to make it to the semifinals again,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “There is only one way to win the Champions League, which is to keep insisting, insisting and insisting again.”
Atletico lost the 2014 final after conceding an injury-time equalizer that extended the match into extra time. Last year, it lost in a penalty shootout.
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