'BOMB'! There will be a derby between Real Madrid and Atlético in the round of 16 of the Champions

What a 'spicy' match awaits us in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25. Lady Luck has decided that Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, two teams that have recently gone through a very tense institutional and sporting relationship, will clash early in the battle for the coveted 'Orejona'.

As defined by the matchup between the merengues and 'colchoneros', the first leg will take place at the Santiago Bernabéu, home of Real Madrid (March 4 or 5), while the second leg will be played at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, home of Atlético de Madrid (March 11 or 12).

Real Madrid - Atlético: a matchup with a 'spicy' history behind it

'Vikings' and 'Indians' will face each other in this competition for the seventh and eighth time respectively, in the context of a series that favors Real Madrid, as they won four and drew one of the previous six encounters. Furthermore, it should not be overlooked that the whites have frustrated the 'rojiblancos' in their attempts to become champions for the first time in this tournament on two occasions, snatching the finals of the 2013-14 and 2015-16 seasons.

Diego 'Cholo' Simeone's team will approach the series with the clear mission of improving their record against the Chamartín side. The 'Atleti' arrives at this round of 16 as the team that qualified among the top eight, positioning themselves in fifth place in the standings, after accumulating six wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling 18 points.

On the other hand, Real Madrid had to take a much longer road. Carlo Ancelotti's team, after a group stage where they did not perform too well, with three losses, five wins, and a total of 15 points, had to play playoffs in which they demonstrated their champion's grit by defeating Manchester City with an aggregate score of 6-3.

The path that Real Madrid or Atlético must follow towards the final of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25:

It is also worth noting that the route these clubs must take to the final has been officially confirmed. The draw has determined that the winner of this exciting matchup would have to face, if they advance, the winner of the series between Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven in the quarter-finals.

In the 'semis' of the tournament, they would encounter a rival emerging from Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Club Brugge or Aston Villa. This means that only in the final could a hypothetical Clásico between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona or a clash against Atlético de Madrid in the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 be seen.

Matchups for the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League 24-25:

1. SL Benfica vs FC Barcelona
2. Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool
3. Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
4. Borussia Dortmund vs LOSC Lille
5. PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal
6. Feyenoord vs Inter Milan
7. Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid
8. Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen

When will the matches of the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League 24-25 be played?

The dates of the matches for the knockout stages of the round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 are as follows:

Round of 16

• First Leg Matches: Tuesday, March 4 and Wednesday, March 5, 2025
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• Second Leg Matches: Tuesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Quarter-finals

• First Leg Matches: Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9, 2025
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• Second Leg Matches: Tuesday, April 15 and Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Semi-finals

• First Leg Matches: Tuesday, April 29 and Wednesday, April 30, 2025
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• Second Leg Matches: Tuesday, May 6 and Wednesday, May 7, 2025

When and where will the final of the UEFA Champions League 24-25 be held?

The final of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 will be played on Saturday, May 31 at the Munich Football Arena (Munich, Germany).

• 🗓️ Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
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• ⏰ Time: 21:00 hours (CET)
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• 🏟️ Stadium: Munich Football Arena (Munich, Germany)