Atletico Madrid pin hopes on Julian Alvarez to break Real Madrid Champions League hex

Real have been the scourge of their city rivals in all five of their previous encounters in Europe’s premier competition

Julian Alvarez is already a Uefa Champions League winner from his time at Manchester City. Getty Images

Atletico Madrid are pinning their hopes on star striker Julian Alvarez as the player to finally break Real Madrid's spell over them in European competition.

The Argentina striker has become key to Atletico's attack since arriving from Manchester City last summer and will lead the line for them on Tuesday at the Bernabeu in the Uefa Champions League last 16.

It is a tie that Atletico dread the most. Given their record against their neighbours in the Uefa Champions League, it's easy to see why.

Atletico have reached three Champions League finals and lost every time, including against Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016. They were hammered 4-0 by Bayern Munich in a replay in their other European Cup final in 1974.

Those agonising defeats against Real, the first in extra-time and the second on penalties, were compounded by Los Blancos wins in the 2015 quarter-finals and 2017 semi-finals.

The only other occasion they have met in the competition was in 1959, when after an aggregate semi-final draw the tie went to a play-off. Real Madrid won that one as well, and went on to lift a fourth consecutive European Cup.

Their dominance in the competition has held until this day, with Carlo Ancelotti's side record 15-time winners and the current holders. Real have won the Champions League twice in the past three seasons.

Diego Simeone's Atletico team were ousted by Borussia Dortmund in last year's quarter-finals, one of the low points of a miserable campaign.

Sensing the need to rejuvanate his attacking options, Simeone gave his blessing to Atletico signing Alvarez for €85 million in the hope that the 25-year-old forward would become the cornerstone of their side.

"He has everything a player needs to play for Atletico Madrid, and for many years to come," said Simeone after Alvarez struck twice to help them beat German champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League group phase.

Alvarez has nine goals in his past 13 matches across competitions, and 21 strikes in 40 games in total.

Julian Alvarez came off the bench to score Atletico's only goal in a win over Athletic Club at Metropolitano Stadium on March 1, 2025. AFP

The striker kept his nerve to net an ice-cold Panenka penalty against Real Madrid in a 1-1 La Liga derby draw in February at the Bernabeu.

Alvarez has quickly formed a bond on the pitch with Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann. Alvarez came off the bench to send Atletico top of La Liga on Saturday with the only goal in a 1-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao, although Barcelona moved back clear of the Rojiblancos on Sunday by a point.

"When we learned that it was confirmed, his arrival, it made us very happy, very happy indeed," said Simeone at the weekend.

"[That's] because a different calibre player was coming, like in his day, Luis Suarez.

"They are special players, they have a talent, they have something others don't, like when [David] Villa came, players who can make the difference."

Alvarez's importance on the pitch cannot be overstated; the Argentine's sharp finishing, mobility, ability to link the play and high work-rate mark him out as an impressive teammate and a player able to decide matches.

Though his move from Manchester City last summer did not cause too many tremors, it is being keenly felt by the English champions this season as they are of of the Champions League and well off the pace in defence of their Premier League title.

"Every move he gets involved in, he improves," said impressed Athletic striker Inaki Williams.

Simeone requires great intensity from his players, with those who don't sweat for the club badge not lasting long at Atletico.

Despite arriving as a World Cup winner with Argentina and a Champions League and double Premier League winner with City, Alvarez has shown no airs and graces.

His dedication to what Simeone demands of him makes him already seems a better fit than the one more expensive player in the club's history: Joao Felix.

The Portuguese striker flopped at the Metropolitano and was sold to Chelsea last summer.

"[Alvarez] is a guy who won everything and he's the one who runs the most, you look at him and admire him," said Atletico defender Jose Gimenez.

"He is an example for all of us, from the youngest to the oldest."

The forward has a point of his own to prove too, after Pep Guardiola left him on the bench during City's 2023 Champions League final win over Inter Milan.

"I didn't get to play in the Champions League final, I didn't play much in the semi-finals," Alvarez told Argentine news site Infobae.

"Something inside me told me that I needed a different challenge, to look for something new."

Alvarez has found that with Atletico and aims to give the Rojiblancos a new experience against Real Madrid in Europe too.