Atlético Madrid Face Borussia Dortmund In The Champions League

Diego Simeone, Head Coach of Atletico Madrid celebrates their side's second goal scored by Antoine ... [+] Griezmann of Atletico Madrid during the UEFA Champions League group B match between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool FC at Wanda Metropolitano on October 19, 2021 in Madrid, Spain.

The Champions League is back, and in style. Real Madrid 3-3 Manchester City and Arsenal 2-2 Bayern Munich were some fine examples of why this is the most popular club competition in the world. On Wednesday it doesn’t stop as Barcelona travel to Paris, whilst I’m in Madrid to focus on the extremely tense and well balanced battle that is Atlético Madrid against Borussia Dortmund.

Atlético trained in the Cívitas Metropolitano stadium at 11:00am CET on Tuesday and there was good news for Argentinian coach Diego Simeone. Mario Hermoso and Thomas Lemar were both taking part in group training after spending periods on the sideline. Both looked pretty active in the team rondo, but whether or not they are fit to face Dortmund on Wednesday night remains to be confirmed.

Depth is something that Simeone could use on a big Champions League night like this. Form could not be any more inconsistent for the Madrid side as of late. They have won just three of their last 10 games, a run which has included defeats against the likes of Sevilla and Cadiz, but of course a famous victory in the last round of the Champions League; against hot favourites Internazionale.

Simeone is no stranger to us and yet the man remains an enigma. From his post-match tunnel dash to his wild touchline gestures, the Argentine is hard to read. On the other hand, he clearly has all the tools to galvanise a team and entire fanbase, and for what he has achieved at Atlético Madrid it’s no surprise that he is the highest-paid manager in Europe.

Dortmund also trained at the Metropolitano on Tuesday. The German side took the field later that evening. The squad looked very relaxed, as did coach Edin Terzić who isn’t taking the hosts lightly he made clear in his press conference. Dortmund had been in consistent form with five wins on the bounce, but a home defeat to Stuttgart in their last outing might have plunged their supporters into doubt ahead of this heavyweight European clash.

Mats Hummels of Borussia Dortmund at training for their UEFA Champions League quarter final against ... [+] Atletico Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on April 9, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

It’s worth noting that Atlético have never lost a home Champions League knock-out tie, not even in the days of the old Estadio Vicente Calderón. This unprecedented record is a nod to the club's fierce support, but also to the siege mentality that Simeone has constructed in his team over the last decade or more. Even when they aren’t quite at their best, the ‘mattress makers’ are far from soft.

These sides faced each other in the Champions league group stage in 2018 and both came out on top at home. Simeone’s side were 2-0 winners in Madrid but away from home they fell to a devastating 4-0 defeat.

All the talk about this particular Champions League trophy race includes favourites Manchester City and Real Madrid, who showed on Tuesday night that they both have the firepower to go all the way. I asked Axel Witsel how he felt when Borussia Dortmund came out of the hat in the quarter-final draw, especially considering that both sets of fans thought that they had struck lucky. However in a perfectly media-trained manner Axel politely reminded me that whether it's Manchester City or Dortmund, it doesn’t matter and there are no easy games. Cliché, but certainly not incorrect from the Belgian international.

Axel Witsel of Atletico Madrid speaks during the Atletico de Madrid Training Session and Press ... [+] Conference at Civitas Metropolitano Stadium on April 9, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

“Game by game” was another cliché Witsel used in the press conference when asked about the fact that the Champions League is his club's only realistic chance of winning silverware this season.

Dortmund’s press conference saw German 23 year-old midfielder Felix Nmecha join his manager. Nmecha signed for Dortmund from Wolfsburg last year and enjoyed a promising start to the season. He also scored the only goal in a crucial 1-0 group stage away win against Newcastle United, but since then has spent months on the sideline with an injury and probably won’t start for Dortmund on Wednesday night.

It was put to the Dortmund boss that Diego Simeone had called Borussia “the most intense” team left in the competition, it's certainly generous from the Argentine, and the reality is that Atlético de Madrid will have to be the protagonists at home. Usint the intensity of their crowd and manager in order to take an advantage to the Westfalenstadion next week.

Dortmund haven’t lost away from home in 2024, so this coupled with Simeone’s side's incredible home record in Europe would suggest we are in for a tight one. Nothing less than you would expect from a European Cup quarter-final of course.

I would be extremely shocked if we have a conclusion to this tie on Wednesday night, as even with a home win for the Spanish side, their trip to face the famous yellow wall will be a formidable one, and the Germans also have their hopes of silverware in 2024 pinned on this Champions League campaign, it’s going to be a nail-biter.

General view during the inauguration of the Wanda Metropolitano stadium after the end of the La Liga ... [+] match between Atletico Madrid and Malaga at Wanda Metropolitano stadium on September 16, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.