Atletico Madrid play in only their second European Cup semi-final since 1974 on Wednesday night. In 2014, they eliminated Chelsea to play Real Madrid in the final. There could be a repeat final of the two Madrid giants this year, but first Atletico, who have never won the European Cup, have to overcome five-time winners Bayern Munich.
Diego Simeone’s side have every reason to be vengeful for it was Bayern who defeated them in the 1974 final in circumstances which are still tough for older Atletico fans to recall.
In a game played in the Heysel Stadium, Brussels, the final was 0-0 after 90 minutes before Luis Aragones scored in extra time. Atletico were about to be European champions until Bayern defender Georg Schwarzenbeck hit a speculative long-range shot in the 120th minute. It went in and forced a replay two days later — the only replay in European Cup final history.
Bayern won 4-0 with two goals each from Gerd Muller and Uli Hoeness to lift the first of their five European Cups. It was a cruel end to an incredible season, just as it was when Real Madrid beat them after extra time in the 2014 final.
In 1974, it was Bayern’s beauty against the beast of Atletico. The same could be said of now. Simeone has utterly revolutionised Atletico and made them into a world power. They are very hard to beat, and sit level on points in the league with Barcelona, who they eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16.
More from the Primera Liga:
Uefa Champions League: Jon Turner's five reasons why Atletico Madrid will win the Champions League
Diego Simeone: Atletico Madrid can cope with the loss of Diego Godin in Primera Liga and Europe
Diego Forlan column: Leicester City, Barcelona and the unique pressures of leading a title race
They win, often narrowly and not without controversy as in Sunday’s 1-0 win, when Simeone was sent to the stands after a ball was kicked onto the pitch from the Atletico bench and disrupted a Malaga attack. It was the 22nd clean sheet kept by goalkeeper Jan Oblak this season, more than any other goalkeeper in Atleti’s history.
Pep Guardiola’s Bayern side are wealthier and more successful than Atletico, yet the statistics don’t favour them in Spain. Atletico are unbeaten in their last five home games against German clubs and have lost only one of their last seven against them.
The Bavarians lost against Spanish opponents at this stage in each of the last two seasons and have only won two of their last nine Uefa Champions League away games, losing four. They have also failed to win in any of their previous seven knockout games away from home, drawing four and losing three.
Bayern have four Spaniards in their squad in Javi Martinez, Thiago Alcantara, Juan Bernat and Xabi Alonso, plus a Spanish manager in Guardiola. Bayern have played in 17 European Cup semi finals, winning 10.
This is Atletico’s fifth semi-final, of which they have won two. They will be able to recall Fernando Torres, who scored the vital away goal in Camp Nou in the last round before being sent off.
Torres is in form, and Saturday was the first time he had not scored in five matches. His form is mirrored by his team who have won their last five games since that narrow defeat at Camp Nou.
They have also not conceded a goal in their last four and have the outstanding Uruguayan central defender Jose Gimenez back from injury. He is needed, for Diego Godin will be absent with a hamstring injury. Tiago is Atletico’s only other absentee while Bayern are missing Holger Badstuber and Arjen Robben, and have George Boateng and Sebastian Rode as doubts.
Spurned on by a manager seeking to exploit every advantage possible, the Vicente Calderon will be a cauldron, with Guardiola reckoning that the atmosphere in the stadium is the best in Europe.
Bayern’s manager also acknowledged that Atletico are a “special” side with “a strong defence and strong attack. They have a great heart.”
The Catalan is desperate to win the European Cup with Bayern. To do it he will have to achieve what he has failed to do in each of his two seasons in Bavaria — overcome a Spanish foe in the semi-final.
NEYMAR’S FUTURE IS AT BARCA
Midway through the second half of Barcelona’s 6-0 win against Sporting Gijon on Saturday, a dubious victory which followed an emphatic 8-0 win at Deportivo La Coruna to put their title aspirations back on track, the Camp Nou crowd began singing ‘Neymar, Neymar’.
Normally, Barca players are rewarded for an act of brilliance, but the Brazilian had not done anything special to warrant the song. Instead, the crowd sensed that things were not going well for the striker who has hit a lean run of form since standing on the podium of Ballon d’Or winners in January. He scored only twice in the seven league games which followed. He even failed to score in the 7-0 win against Valencia.
Then, he was being spoken about as the next true challenger to the individual hegemony enjoyed by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He improved when Messi had been injured in the autumn and his partnership with Luis Suarez flourished. Now, Neymar is talked about as the star Barca fans could dispense with should they need to recoup funds as they plough on with an expensive — and stunning — stadium redevelopment.
It is hardly fair. It is true that Neymar, 24, is not playing at 100 per cent. As Barca won one in five, he was among their worst performers, taking more touches, slowing down play and struggling to go past players, and his goals have dried up.
Every player goes though patches of poor form and the former Santos striker is no different. He has also been playing non-stop for club and country and Luis Enrique plays him for 90 minutes in every game for which he takes the field.
Barca hope to rectify the problem of two tournaments with Brazil in the close season by allowing him to play in the Rio Olympics but not the Copa America in June/July and August.
Yet he has still scored 29 goals for his club this season, including 23 in the league. He has also assisted an astonishing 24 goals.
Sunday’s encouragement also helped as he followed up his goal in La Coruna with another strike.
Despite interest from Manchester United and Paris Saint-German, Neymar does not want to leave Barca. With his father acting as agent, they have all but agreed a new contract, said to be until 2021, which will be signed in the summer to keep him at Camp Nou. He will become the second highest paid footballer at the club, with Suarez then set to search for parity.
Barcelona have only three games to play and a straightforward run-in against Real Betis away, Espanyol at home and Granada away. They also have no European distractions. They remain clear favourites to retain the title. They also look to have overcome their blip. As does Neymar.
Player of the week — Luis Suarez
Suarez scored four goals as Barcelona beat Sporting Gijon 6-0. The Uruguayan was sure about taking the penalties and he scored two of them. He is now three goals ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo as he attempts to become the first player outside Ronaldo and Messi since Diego Forlan in 2009 to lift the Pichichi. Ronaldo and Messi will fall well short of their 2014-15 totals.
Game of the week — Real Sociedad v Real Madrid
If the Basques can beat Madrid as they beat Barcelona, then Madrid’s title aspirations will be over. There is also a derby between Valencia and Villarreal. Valencia are up to eighth, but that’s realistically as high as they can go. Sevilla are eighth points ahead in seventh with only three games remaining.
What else?
Levante’s 5-1 defeat at Granada last Thursday was a killer for their relegation survival hopes. Worse followed on Sunday. Leading 2-0 against Athletic Bilbao at home, they conceded twice to draw 2-2. They’re running out of games.
Rayo Vallecano were two up against Real Madrid before losing 3-2. Zinedine Zidane changed his coat when his side were 2-0 down. Maybe he should thank the change. Or maybe Gareth Bale, who scored Madrid’s first and third goals. The Welshman has been Madrid’s best player of last. It’s realistic to expect him to be Madrid’s best player within a year or two.
The second division is incredibly tight. Only five points separate Zaragoza in third with Tenerife in 12th. With 22 teams in the league, there are still seven games to play in a league which finishes in June. Mallorca, Primera Liga mainstays between 1997-2010, are still in danger of relegation to the regional third tier.
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