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A Madrid Derby in the Semifinals: Real Madrid Draw Atletico Madrid in the Next Round of the Champions League

By Alex McVey

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 08: Pepe (L) of Real Madrid argue with Fernando Torres of Atletico de Madrid during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 8, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 08: Pepe (L) of Real Madrid argue with Fernando Torres of Atletico de Madrid during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 8, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images) /
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Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid were drawn to face each other in the semifinals of the Champions League. Alex McVey gives you the news about the upcoming Madrid Derby in Europe’s biggest competition.

Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in the late stages of the Champions League: it’s starting to become almost routine.

The two sides from Madrid have dominated European competition over the last three years, having faced each other in two finals and one quarterfinals. As Sid Lowe points out, Real Madrid have won all of those fixtures.

Atletico Madrid have been trouble for Madrid in domestic competition in recent years. Before the first Madrid derby in the league this fall, Atletico had won four and drawn two matches against Real Madrid in league competition.

However, Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane was able to do what Carlo Ancelotti was unable to do: find a recipe for defeating Atletico Madrid in La Liga, beating their neighbors 3-0 at the Vicente Calderon in the fall. Zidane also avoided defeat at the Bernabéu, after Atleti snatched a late equalizer this spring to draw 1-1 with Madrid.

Many thought that match would be the last time the Madrid rivals faced off in the Calderon. However, the semi-finals will provide Atleti one more chance to defend their fortress of football against their neighbors in white.

According to ESPN FC, Atleti will visit the Bernabéu on May 2nd for the first leg, with the second leg to follow at the Calderon on May 10th.

Having been denied a Champions League trophy three times thus far by Los Blancos, Diego Simeone’s men will face an intense psychological challenge coming up against Real again this late in the competition.

The key question will be whether Los Colchoneros can overcome their Real Madrid bugaboo and finally overthrow their city rivals in European competition.

Real Madrid will face the additional challenge of a grueling La Liga schedule. Real Madrid has a tough match against Valencia before the first leg, and an even more difficult match against Sevilla after the second leg.

Zidane will again be forced to implement an intelligent rotation policy to keep Madrid alive across two competitions.

The narrative stakes of this matchup couldn’t be much higher. For Real, the allure of becoming the first team in modern European competition to repeat a victory in the Champions League has to be tempting.

For Atletico, finally getting one over on their Champions League rivals will be the next step to fulfilling the dream that has been so close, yet so far.

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Be sure to stay tuned to The Real Champs for more coverage as we get closer to this intense Champions League showdown.

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