Atletico Madrid hoping Julian Alvarez can end Real Madrid hoodoo in Europe

MADRID – For Atletico Madrid, it has been a repetitious and painful tale whenever they have faced neighbours Real Madrid in Europe but, this time, they hope summer signing Julian Alvarez will be able to rip up the script.

The Argentina international has become Atletico’s key attacking threat after arriving from Manchester City last August and will lead the line for them on March 4 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League last 16.

Atletico have reached three Champions League finals and lost every time, including against Real in 2014 and 2016.

Those agonising defeats, the first in extra time and the second on penalties, were compounded by Los Blancos wins in the 2015 quarter-finals and 2017 semi-finals.

The only other occasion they have met in the competition was in 1959 when, after an aggregate semi-final draw, the tie went to a play-off. Real emerged triumphant and went on to lift a fourth consecutive European Cup.

Their dominance in the competition has held until this day, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side record 15-time winners and the current holders.

Diego Simeone’s team were ousted by Borussia Dortmund in last season’s quarter-finals, one of the low points of a miserable campaign. They responded in the summer by signing Alvarez for a fee which could rise to £82 million (S$140 million), hoping the 25-year-old forward would become the cornerstone of their side.

“He has everything a player needs to play for Atletico, and for many years to come,” said Simeone, after Alvarez struck twice to help them beat German champions Bayer Leverkusen in the group phase.

Alvarez has six goals and an assist in eight Champion League matches this season, and 21 strikes in 40 games in all competitions.

The 2022 World Cup winner kept his nerve to net an ice-cold Panenka penalty against Real in a 1-1 La Liga derby draw in February at the Bernabeu.

Alvarez has quickly formed a bond on the pitch with Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann, meaning Alexander Sorloth and Angel Correa generally have to be content with a place on the bench.

Although Alvarez and Griezmann regularly start, Simeone has made no secret of considering Atletico’s squad depth their greatest asset this season.

Alvarez came off the bench to send Atletico top of La Liga on March 1 with the only goal in a 1-0 victory against Athletic Bilbao, although Barcelona went a point clear of the Rojiblancos on March 2 after beating Real Sociedad 4-0.

“When we learnt that it was confirmed, his arrival, it made us very happy, very happy indeed,” said Simeone at the weekend.

“(That’s) because a different calibre player was coming like, in his day, Luis Suarez. They are special players, they have a talent, they have something others don’t, like when (David) Villa came, players who can make the difference.”

Alvarez is a well-rounded, sharp finisher with great mobility, ability to link the play and high work rate.

“(Alvarez) is a guy who won everything and he’s the one who runs the most. You look at him and admire him. He is an example for all of us, from the youngest to the oldest,” said Atletico defender Jose Gimenez.

Simeone requires great intensity from his players, with those who do not sweat for the club badge not lasting long at Atletico.

Despite arriving as a World Cup winner with Argentina and a Champions League and double English Premier League winner with City, Alvarez has shown no airs.

His dedication to what Simeone demands of him makes him already a better fit than the one more expensive player in the club’s history – Joao Felix.

The Portuguese striker flopped at the Metropolitano and was sold to Chelsea last summer.

The forward has a point of his own to prove too, after Pep Guardiola left him on the bench during City’s 2023 Champions League final win over Inter Milan.

“I didn’t get to play in the Champions League final, I didn’t play much in the semi-finals,” Alvarez told Argentine news site Infobae.

“Something inside me told me that I needed a different challenge, to look for something new.”

On the opposite side of the Spanish capital, Real’s galaxy of attacking stars initially struggled to gel this season, but Ancelotti kept faith and now the “fantastic four” are Los Blancos’ greatest strength.

French superstar Kylian Mbappe joined last season’s trident of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, and both the former Paris Saint-Germain forward and Real’s squad needed time to adapt to the change.

But Real must cope without England international Bellingham in the first leg after his booking in the play-off game against City brought his total to three yellow cards.

Ancelotti, however, has solved tactical problems throughout his storied career. Last season, he replaced striker Karim Benzema with Bellingham, a central midfielder, to great effect.

Real claimed a Champions League and La Liga double, but it has taken time for Mbappe to click with the team.

Real’s struggles forced them into the new play-off round, where they faced English champions City. Finally firing on all cylinders, the holders hit six goals over the two legs. Mbappe and Bellingham scored at City and Vinicius was named Man of the Match. Mbappe then netted a hat-trick at home to seal a 6-3 aggregate victory.

“This is where the season really starts,” said Ancelotti, finally convinced he has found the right set-up, despite the early teething problems.

“It was a complete performance by the team from an attacking point of view, and we showed that with the right levels of commitment, we can do anything.”

That same sacrifice was lacking as Real lost 2-1 against Real Betis in La Liga on March 1.

“If we play like this, we will not win on Tuesday,” warned Ancelotti after the loss. It remains to be seen which version of Real will show up on March 4. AFP