Ranking the teams left in the Champions League quarterfinals
6. Atlético de Madrid
Based on what I’ve witnessed over the years, Atletico de Madrid is a really fascinating squad because of how unexpected it is. Every 5 years or so, the club has a few memorable moments when it seizes the La Liga title or makes a big statement in European tournaments by travelling to the very late rounds and very rarely winning any trophy in the segment.
The ‘Colchoneros’ might be deemed Spain’s third most successful team, having won the league on 11 occasions and the Europa League three times, the most recent of which was in 2018. They have also encountered their city rivals Real Madrid in a few Champions League finals in the past, but have failed to win any of them.
As previously said, Atletico Madrid has been relatively ordinary in European events, particularly the Champions League, where they have come close but never won.
It’s tough to say whether Manchester United’s loose ends, the disputed refereeing rulings, or just Diego Simeone’s tactics earned the Rojiblanco’s position in the quarterfinals, but that doesn’t matter anymore since they’re here, ready to face others from the enduring eight.
A #6 place is most suited to Atletico Madrid since they are clearly better than Benfica and Villarreal in terms of player and tactical skill, but they fall short in contrast to the upcoming giants. They are evenly distributed between the magnets of worst and best, with a little bias toward the worse following their past records in the tournament.
5. Chelsea FC
Moving on to stronger competitors, we have the previous year’s defending champions Chelsea, who have only won the Champions League twice in their long history. The club is now going through a difficult period due to political upheaval and sanctions, yet that does not negate any of its players’ abilities.
Chelsea is just third in the Premier League standings, but they are 12 points behind champions Manchester City, and their recent loss in the Carabao Cup to Liverpool has shifted all of their attention to the European prize.
Despite this, it is clear that the quality they possessed last year and what they now have has a huge gap, and as a result, their preference for winning the championship has taken a substantial decrease. Their standing has fluctuated, and their performance under Thomas Tuchel is no longer as appealing as it once was.
The squad appears to have taken a step back and is more concerned with guarding the ball than scoring, which might account for their surprise difficulties in the group stage. They did, however, defeat Lille in the round of 16, but the team has failed to live up to the high expectations placed on it by the supporters.
Despite the differences, Chelsea remains one of the top teams in Europe today and is in a good position to advance in the tournament, with the odds slightly in their favour.