Atlético and Simeone take formidable record to new home
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
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Atlético lost just one of the 23 European games they played under Diego Simeone at the Vicente Calderón – can they be just as formidable at the Estadio Metropolitano, starting against Chelsea on Wednesday?
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Atlético Madrid play their first European game at their new Estadio Metropolitano home on Wednesday.
The question on everybody's lips, not least those of visitors Chelsea, is whether the Rojiblancos – and Diego Simeone in particular – will be able to pick up from where they left off at the Vicente Calderón, where they had a formidable European record.
Atlético's European record at the Calderón
Overall: P142 W104 D24 L14
European Cup/UEFA Champions League: P51 W36 D11 L4
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: P29 W20 D6 L3
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League: P62 W48 D7 L7
If Atlético's overall record is impressive enough, their numbers during Simeone's tenure are positively sensational. Indeed they have suffered just a solitary European home defeat – against Benfica virtually two years ago, on matchday two of the 2015/16 group stage – during their coach's near six years at the helm.
Atlético's European home record under Simeone
Played: 23
Won: 18
Drawn: 4
Lost: 1
Goals scored: 43
Goals against: 6
Will Wednesday be the first step in Atlético establishing a new European fortress, or will Chelsea capitalise on their hosts finding themselves in relatively unfamiliar surroundings? Atlético have had little trouble in the Spanish Liga, it must be said, winning their opening two home fixtures without conceding.
