Real Madrid vs. Atalanta: 5 key players to watch in the second leg

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Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images) /

Atalanta LM Robin Gosens

Robin Gosens is one of the best players in Serie A, but the man with 10 goals and 5 assists between the Champions League and Serie A this season was not much of a difference-maker in the first leg. He was fouled a couple of times and recorded a key pass, per WhoScored.com, but, by and large, Lucas Vazquez and Co. kept arguably Atalanta’s best player this season under wraps.

It’s unlikely they will be able to accomplish the same feat twice, especially since Vazquez looked a little shaky in his past two La Liga matches against Atletico Madrid and Elche. Vazquez vs. Gosens will be a big matchup to watch at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Real Madrid CB Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos started and played for about an hour in his return to the lineup from an injury that took him out since the January draw with Osasuna in snow-ridden Pamplona. The Real Madrid captain is one of the most iconic players in Champions League history, and he’d love to make his mark on the second leg with inspired defending, trademark leadership, classy passing, and maybe even his second goal of the Champions League campaign.

The forward duo of Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata will be a challenge for Ramos, but no challenge is too big for the No. 4. Ramos is a real Man of the Match candidate in this Champions League fixture, and Madridistas will expect nothing less than the best from their captain.

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