Atletico Madrid faces must-win run in Champions League
With only four points from four matches, Diego Simeone's side must secure wins in their remaining games to reach the top eight and avoid the play-off round.
Following their defeat to Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid finds themselves in a difficult position in the Champions League. With only four points out of a possible twelve, Diego Simeone’s side faces a challenging path to secure a spot in the top eight, which would allow them to bypass the additional play-off round.
The competition started with a rigorous schedule for the Spanish side. Atletico has already faced Liverpool, Manchester United, Stuttgart, and Bayern. A record of one win, one draw, and two losses has left the team with no margin for error as they look to reach the knockout stages.
The club is now relying on a more favorable calendar to recover. Atletico is scheduled to play Viking in the next round, followed by a trip to PSV on December 9. In late January, they face a demanding trip to Bodo before concluding their league phase at home against Fenerbahce.
While the upcoming opponents may lack the stature of those faced so far, the necessity to win is absolute. For a team hoping to reach the final at their home stadium, the Metropolitano, securing maximum points from these remaining encounters is the only way to meet their goal of avoiding the play-offs.