Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid: Which La Liga team has the best chance of Champions League success this season?
All three La Liga clubs have individual cases on their quest for success, but which team have the strongest after securing passage into the Champions League knockout rounds?
In midweek, El Clasico made history for the wrong reasons: this was the first goalless draw in 17 years as disallowed goals, goal-line clearances and domestic politics combined to create an overriding theme of frustration at the Nou Camp.
Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid side are sure to have watched eagerly among home comforts, after their 2-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday. This draw between the league’s top two means Atletico are now seven points off top spot after 17 matches this term, with a trip to mid-table Real Betis their last action of 2019 this coming weekend.
However, earlier in the week, the trio's Champions League fate were revealed in an intriguing Round of 16 draw set for mid-February. Here, we assess which team have the best chance of European success in 2020 and why, with reasons arguing for and against each individual case. So without further ado, here it is - in order of weakest to best:
#3 Atletico Madrid to play European champions Liverpool
Atletico Madrid will probably feel hard done by, given that Juventus dropped just two points on their way to win Group D in convincing fashion this month. However, there's no more difficult test than being matched against the defending champions - a Liverpool side who stunned many critics on their route to winning their sixth Champions League title in June.
For the Reds, it'll be a welcome return to the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on February 18, though Diego Simeone will plan as best he can to ensure his players make it a forgettable affair for Liverpool. The importance of away goals cannot be understated in tricky-to-predict ties like these, where one mistake or moment of individual brilliance can prove match-defining.
Atletico have only conceded 12 goals in their last 33 Champions League home games (group and knockouts included), while Jurgen Klopp boasts having the world's most feared attacking trio to call upon. Something has got to give.
Why they can win?
If they manage to beat Liverpool in a two-legged tie, who can really stop them? Plenty has been said about managerial fatigue and frustration surrounding Simeone, but he's one of the world's best managers and still has key players fighting relentlessly for him on the pitch.
Powered by Jose Gimenez and Kieran Trippier's career resurgence, their backline continues to quietly impress. Now, they have a golden opportunity to prove precisely why they're one of the competition's dark horses against the Reds.
Why they will fall short?
Joao Felix's big-money arrival over the summer was an exciting look into the future for a side not known to splash that sort of money - nor take such risk - for talented youngsters. Nonetheless, questions will be asked about whether they're truly good enough to prevail against top sides over two legs, rather than a one-off fixture.
The fact Juventus finished six points clear without needing to be on top form in their group doesn't strengthen their case. They also lost plenty of vital experience over the summer, with key figures having departed for pastures new - Diego Godin (Inter), Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich), Juanfran (Sao Paulo), Filipe Luis (Flamengo), Rodri (Manchester City) and Antoine Griezmann (Barcelona).
It's unfair to pin all their hopes on Felix-Saul-Gimenez and influential goalkeeper Jan Oblak. So, with that all in mind, have they truly improved enough to expect a deep run this season? Probably not.