Atlético need Real Madrid miracle in Calderón farewell

Club Atlético de Madrid have it all to do against city rivals Real Madrid CF on what is sure to be an emotional evening at the Vicente Calderón.

• In what will be the last European tie at the stadium that has been their home since 1966, Diego Simeone's Atlético are attempting to win a European tie against their neighbours at the fifth time of asking. Cristiano Ronaldo's first-leg hat-trick, that gave the holders a 3-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu, makes that an unlikely prospect.

• Real Madrid have ended Atlético's UEFA Champions League hopes in each of the last three seasons, including dramatic victories in the finals of 2014 and 2016.

Previous meetings
• This is a fifth European meeting for Real Madrid and Atlético, all in the European Cup, with Madrid having won all four previous ties.

• Their first international fixtures came in the 1958/59 European Cup semi-finals. Madrid won the home first leg 2-1, Héctor Rial's goal (15) and a Ferenc Puskás penalty (33) overturning Chuzo's 13th-minute opener. Atlético prevailed in the return thanks to Enrique Collar's 43rd-minute effort.

• That meant a replay six days later, played in Zaragoza, where Alfredo Di Stéfano's early strike was swiftly cancelled out by Collar. Puskás dealt the decisive blow three minutes before half-time to take Madrid into a fourth successive final.

• The line-ups at La Romareda on 13 May 1959 were:
Real Madrid: Domínguez, Miche, Santamaría, Lesmes, Ruiz, Zárraga, Mateos, Kopa, Di Stéfano, Puskás, Gento.
Atlético: Pazos, Rivilla, Callejo, Mendiondo, Chuzo, Calleja, Miguel, Agustín, Vavá, Peiró, Collar.

• It was 55 years until the teams' next European contest, in the 2014 final in Lisbon – the first final fixture involving clubs from the same city in European Cup history. Diego Godín's header (36) gave newly crowned Spanish champions Atlético the lead, and it looked like that would be enough for Simeone's side to claim their first European Cup – only for Sergio Ramos to level at the last (90+3). Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid ran away with it in extra time courtesy of goals from Gareth Bale (110), Marcelo (118) and a Ronaldo penalty (120).

• The line-ups at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica were:
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Fábio Coentrão (Marcelo 59), Khedira (Isco 59), Modrić, Di María, Bale, Benzema (Morata 79), Ronaldo.
Atlético: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Filipe Luís (Alderweireld 83), Tiago, Koke, Gabi, Raúl García (Sosa 66), Villa, Diego Costa (Adrián López 9).

• Pepe was an unused substitute for Madrid.

• The Merengues also came out on top in the 2014/15 quarter-finals, Javier Hernández heading the only goal of the tie late in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

• The teams for the first leg at the Vicente Calderón on 14 April 2015 were:
Atlético: Oblak, Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Siqueira, Mario Suárez, Koke (F Torres 83), Gabi, Arda Turan, Griezmann (Raúl García 77), Mandžukić.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal (Arbeloa 85), Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos, Modrić, James, Bale, Benzema (Isco 85), Ronaldo. 

• Madrid and Atlético both advanced all the way to the final again in 2015/16. Ramos's 15th-minute breakthrough in Milan was cancelled out by Atlético substitute Yannick Carrasco 11 minutes from time, Antoine Griezmann having missed a 48th-minute spot kick.

• With no further goals, the match went to penalties. After Lucas Vázquez, Marcelo, Bale and Ramos had converted for Madrid, and Griezmann, Gabi and Saúl Ñíguez had done likewise, Juanfran struck the base of the post with Atlético's fourth kick, leaving Ronaldo to convert and take the trophy to Madrid for the 11th time.

• The sides at San Siro on 28 May 2016 were:
Real Madrid: Navas, Carvajal (Danilo 52), Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Casemiro, Kroos (Isco 72), Modrić, Bale, Benzema (Lucas Vázquez 77), Ronaldo.
Atlético: Oblak, Juanfran, Godín, Savić, Filipe Luís (Lucas Hernández 109), Gabi, Augusto Fernández (Carrasco 46), Koke (Partey 116), Saúl, Griezmann, F Torres.

 • The capital duo have met in 204 league, Spanish Cup and Spanish Super Cup games, with 103 Madrid wins, 51 for Atlético and 50 draws. Atlético have lost only one of their last ten domestic matches against their local rivals since losing the 2014 UEFA Champions League final, recording five victories and four draws.

• That sole defeat came in this season's first Liga encounter, Madrid triumphing 3-0 at the Vicente Calderón on 19 November 2016 with a Ronaldo hat-trick (29, 71pen, 77). The game at the Santiago Bernabéu on 8 April finished 1-1, Griezmann earning the visitors a point with an 85th-minute equaliser after Pepe's opener for Madrid (52).

Match background

Atlético
• This is Atlético's sixth European Cup semi-final (W3 D2) and their third in four years.

• Atlético's semi-final breakdown is:
1958/59 Real Madrid CF L 1-2 replay (1-2 a, 1-0 h)
1970/71 AFC Ajax L 1-3 (1-0 h, 0-3 a)
1973/74 Celtic FC W 2-0 (0-0 a, 2-0 h)
2013/14 Chelsea FC W 3-1 (0-0 h, 3-1 a)
2015/16 FC Bayern München W 2-2 away goals (1-0 h, 1-2 a)

• Atlético are unbeaten in the home legs of all five of their European Cup semi-finals (W4 D1) and have never conceded a home goal. The lone draw came in the first leg of their 2013/14 tie against Chelsea, when they went on to win 3-1 away.

• Atlético have won 29 of their last 35 European fixtures at the Vicente Calderón, losing only twice. They are ten matches unbeaten at home in Europe (W8 D2); this term they have won four of their five home games.

• Atlético's record against Spanish clubs in UEFA competition is W8 D5 L8 (W6 D2 L0 home). Their record in two-legged ties is W5 L3.

• Aside from the 1959 tie with Madrid, Atlético's only other previous European semi-final against a fellow Spanish side came in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League, when they beat Valencia 5-2 over two legs (4-2 h, 1-0 a).

• Atlético have won nine and lost ten of the UEFA competition ties in which they lost the away first leg – including the 1959 semi-final against Real Madrid, in which they were beaten in a replay – most recently against FC Schalke 04 in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round (0-1 a, 4-0 h). The Rojiblancos have never overturned a three-goal away deficit, losing to Boavista FC in the 1981/82 UEFA Cup first round (1-4 a, 3-1 h).

• Atlético's shoot-out record in UEFA competition is W2 L4:
3-5 v Real Madrid, 2015/16 UEFA Champions League final
8-7 v PSV, 2015/16 UEFA Champions League round of 16
3-2 v Leverkusen, 2014/15 UEFA Champions League round of 16
1-3 v Villarreal CF, 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup final
1-3 v ACF Fiorentina, 1989/90 UEFA Cup first round
6-7 v Derby County FC, 1974/75 UEFA Cup second round

Real Madrid
• Madrid are through to their seventh successive UEFA Champions League semi-final, a competition record. It will be their 12th semi-final appearance in total, also a record, one more than FC Barcelona.

• Madrid have won five UEFA Champions League semi-finals, and went on to lift the trophy on each occasion.

• This is Madrid's 28th European Cup semi-final overall, with the record W14 L13. They have won two of their last seven semi-final ties.

• The full breakdown of those 27 ties is:
1955/56 AC Milan W 5-4 (4-2 h, 1-2 a)
1956/57 Manchester United FC W 5-3 (3-1 h, 2-2 a)
1957/58 Vasas SC W 4-2 (4-0 h, 0-2 a)
1958/59 Club Atlético de Madrid W 2-1 replay (2-1 h, 0-1 a)
1959/60 FC Barcelona W 6-2 (3-1 h, 3-1 a)
1961/62 R. Standard de Liège W 6-0 (4-0 h, 2-0 a)
1963/64 FC Zürich W 8-1 (2-1 a, 6-0 h)
1965/66 FC Internazionale Milano W 2-1 (1-0 h, 1-1 a)
1967/68 Manchester United FC L 3-4 (0-1 a, 3-3 h)
1972 73 AFC Ajax L 1-3 (1-2 a, 0-1 h)
1975/76 FC Bayern München L 1-3 (1-1 h, 0-2 a)
1979/80 Hamburger SV L 3-5 (2-0 h, 1-5 a)
1980/81 FC Internazionale Milano W 2-1 (2-0 h, 0-1 a)
1986/87 FC Bayern München L 2-4 (1-4 a, 1-0 h)
1987/88 PSV Eindhoven L 1-1 away goals (1-1 h, 0-0 a)
1988/89 AC Milan L 1-6 (1-1 h, 0-5 a)
1997/98 Borussia Dortmund W 2-0 (2-0 h, 0-0 a)
1999/00 FC Bayern München W 3-2 (2-0 h, 1-2 a)
2000/01 FC Bayern München L 1-3 (0-1 h, 1-2 a)
2001/02 FC Barcelona W 3-1 (2-0 a, 1-1 h)
2002/03 Juventus L 3-4 (2-1 h, 1-3 a)
2010/11 FC Barcelona L 1-3 (0-2 h, 1-1 a)
2011/12 FC Bayern München, L 1-3 on penalties (1-2 a, 2-1 h)
2012/13 Borussia Dortmund L 3-4 (1-4 a, 2-0 h)
2013/14 FC Bayern München W 5-0 (1-0 h, 4-0 a)
2014/15 Juventus L 2-3 (1-2 a, 1-1 h)
2015/16 Manchester City FC W 1-0 (0-0 a, 1-0 h)

• Madrid have won just one of their last seven away games in UEFA Champions League semi-finals (D2 L4). Overall, their away record in the last four is W5 D6 L16.

• Madrid are unbeaten in this season's competition (W8 D3) and have won all five matches in the knockout stage.

• The 2-0 reverse at VfL Wolfsburg in last year's quarter-final first leg was Madrid's solitary defeat in their last 11 away fixtures in the UEFA Champions League; they won six of those matches.

• Madrid's record against Liga teams in Europe is W12 D6 L3 (W2 D3 L2 away). Their record in two-legged ties is W5 L2.

• This is the fifth time Real Madrid have tackled a Spanish club in the European Cup semi-finals; aside from that victory against Atlético in 1959, all their other previous meetings came against Barcelona. They won 6-2 on aggregate in 1959/60 (3-1 h, 3-1 a) and 3-1 in 2001/02 (2-0 a, 1-1 h) but lost 3-1 over two legs in 2010/11 (0-2 h, 1-1 a).

• Real Madrid are unbeaten in their last eight games against Spanish opposition in Europe, since that 2-0 loss at home to Barcelona in 2011.

• Madrid have gone through in 45 of 58 European ties after winning the first leg at home, most recently against SSC Napoli in this season's round of 16 (3-1 h, 3-1 a). When winning 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu first time out they have won all nine ties, most recently against Borussia Dortmund in their 2013/14 quarter-final (0-2 a). The largest first-leg advantage they have let slip is two goals, which has happened seven times.

• Madrid's shoot-out record in European competition is W2 L2:
5-3 v Club Atlético de Madrid, 2015/16 UEFA Champions League final
1-3 v FC Bayern München, 2011/12 UEFA Champions League semi-finals
3-1 v Juventus, 1986/87 European Cup second round
5-6 v FK Crvena zvezda, 1974/75 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals

Coach and player links
• Zinédine Zidane and Simeone crossed paths as players eight times during their careers when Zidane played for Juventus and Simeone represented FC Internazionale Milano and SS Lazio. Simeone's record is W4 D2 L2, the Argentinian getting the only goal in Lazio's 1-0 Serie A win at Juve on 1 April 2000 and also hitting the winner in Lazio's 2-1 second-leg success in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals the same season.

• Simeone's record against Madrid in all competitions as a player for Sevilla FC, Atlético and Lazio was W1 D2 L8. He scored once, in Atlético's 4-2 defeat on 5 November 1994.

• The Argentinian enjoys a much better record as a coach, having lost only two of his last 13 clashes with Madrid, with last term's UEFA Champions League final counted as a draw. Overall it is W7 D7 L8.

• Zidane never lost to Atlético during his playing days with Madrid, winning six and drawing two of their eight meetings.

• Juanfran came through Madrid's academy, making six outings for the first team in 2003/04 and 2004/05.

• Isco, Nacho, Dani Carvajal and Koke were part of Spain's victorious 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship squad.

• International team-mates:
Marcelo, Danilo, Casemiro and Filipe Luís (Brazil);
Ronaldo, Pepe and Tiago (Portugal);
Raphaël Varane, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann (France);
Juanfran, Saúl Ñíguez, Koke and Isco, Dani Carvajal, Ramos, Casilla, Álvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vázquez (Spain);
Šime Vrsaljko and Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić (Croatia);
Saúl Ñíguez and Marco Asensio (Spain U-21)

• Former club-mates:
Karim Benzema and Tiago (Olympique Lyonnais, 2005–2007);
Óliver Torres, Casemiro and Danilo (FC Porto, 2014–15)
James Rodríguez and Yannick Carrasco (AS Monaco FC, 2013–14);
Fábio Coentrão and Nicolás Gaitán (SL Benfica, 2010-11)

• Ronaldo has now scored 21 goals in 28 appearances against Atlético, notching a hat-trick in a 4-1 Liga triumph on 11 April 2012 and in this season's Liga in addition to his first-leg treble in this tie, but being sent off after scoring in Madrid's 2-1 Copa del Rey final loss in 2012/13.

• Ramos has twice been dismissed against Atlético – in a 1-1 Liga draw on 1 October 2006 and during Madrid's 3-2 top-flight victory in November 2009.

Match facts

Atlético
• Only once in the past four decades have Atlético won a home game against Real Madrid by three clear goals – that came only two years ago, a 4-0 Liga victory.

• No side has ever overturned even a two-goal first-leg defeat in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

• Atlético have lost four times at home in 2017, compared to just once away. They have won ten, drawn one.

• Simeone's men have kept ten clean sheets in their last 15 fixtures, conceding seven goals.

• Saúl Ñíguez has scored three in his last six games and on Saturday reached four Liga goals for the season for the third successive campaign. Atleti have never lost when Saúl has scored (W19 D2).

• Griezmann has 16 Liga goals this season, six shy of what he managed the previous two campaigns with just two games left.

Real Madrid
• Real Madrid need two more goals to become the first team to score 500 in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.

• Zidane's men have scored in a Spanish-record 60 successive fixtures (165 goals), since the 0-0 draw at Manchester City FC in the first leg of their 2015/16 UEFA Champions League semi-final.

• Ronaldo has scored nine goals in his last five outings, and eight in three in the UEFA Champions League.

• James Rodríguez has scored nine goals in his last 11 appearances; Álvaro Morata has four in four.

• Madrid have conceded three goals on four occasions this season: three of them ended in 3-3 draws while the other was the 3-2 loss to FC Barcelona on 23 April.

• Ronaldo is the first player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds. No one has managed three in a row at any stage of the competition.

• Ronaldo and Lionel Messi hold the record for UEFA Champions League hat-tricks with seven apiece. No other player has more than three.

• Madrid have kept just three clean sheets in their last 17 matches in all competitions.