San Siro's Siren Call: 2015-16 UEFA Champions League

Schnerres said:

Say i´m a sore loser, (as a german i have to support the germans of course,) but in no way was that a deserved win/advancing for Atletico.
They were the more clever and more efficient team, as they always seem, but that´s it. If you want that kind of football to be rewarded through advancing or even winning the CL, that´s a weak choice. If you want them to win because you´re a fan, i get it. But this team full of douchebags, the biggest clown standing on the sideline, playing the timewasting game from the first minute on is cancer for the eyes. And advancing because of 20 good minutes in Madrid is deserved? Sorry, but Bayern was just too dumb to score the away goal. They had their chances and didn´t score. Even in this game, they just didn´t make it and couldn´t get to the final pass enough, it seemed, although they had more chances than Atletico and a 2-0 at the half or a 3-1 was still within possibility. I got to admit with better caretaking of the counters, Atletico could have made it 1-2 and killed the tie, but they didn´t even made it cross the middleline in many occasions.

The only guys i could be happy about advancing being Griezmann and Torres, the others being mostly dirty players looking to play the spanish game (e.g. kicking the ball away before each throw in to earn another 8 seconds, it´s childish and annoying). I could understand those actions in the last few minutes if you´re about to advance and want to save every second, but really, start the game that way, too? That´s just a weak show of performing football and then seeing Simeone waving around the sideline more often than both assistants combined is so annoying, I just can´t think anything else than "when is finally someone of his own players sliding in a tackle and breaking Simeone´s knee while going over the sideline!?!" - I admit, i respect his passion for the game, his teams play great defense, but when you have certain ways to use your brain and to conduct yourself, especially in public, you don´t act like that guy. I hate him.

Now i can just hope that City advances (chances being really small), as when the final is Real vs. Atletico, this will be a game full of douchebags and theatrics (think Marcelo vs. Juanfran, OMG). Good luck Manchester City (of course, I will jinx them )!!

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For the most part I actually agree with you. Deserved winners is a bad choice of words -- they made the plays they had to make over the two legs so Atletico deserved their victory but I agree with you on the whole that Atletico's football and time wasting were a real turn off yesterday. It isn't fair to call them lucky -- they've done this too much to too many good sides for it to be luck. They win in a very hard fashion - they know they're only going to craft 2 or 3 real chances in a match and have to convert one in order to win and somehow they usually do.

I don't have a problem with the defensive tactics but I find it harder and harder to celebrate Atletico's achievement year after year because of all the gamesmanship. They walk a very fine line between a gritty, hard nosed football team and an annoying bunch of whiners and time wasters.

In a lot of ways, yesterday was as vulnerable as Atletico has looked in one of these matches for a while. I think Bayern 2 or 3 nils them most nights if they play like that, the chances were certainly there. I tend to associate Atletico with smothering the other team out of the match more than they did. The holes were there and Bayern didn't take their chances. I don't htink this has much to do with Pep, either. Over the two legs the players had ample opportunities to score and put the tie to rest and they weren't able to. As much as anyone, I love to look at the tactics but especially against a packed in defense it ultimately comes down to taking the chances as they are presented.

As a neutral, I can celebrate what Atletico does and give them the credit they deserve while admitting that I'd hate to see the way they play become the norm. Bayern played the kind of football we should all want to see played. I don't have much of a problem with teams like Atletico existing as a check and balance to overly attacking football but it is pretty dreadful stuff in general.

Simeone clearly has a tendency to revert to his strength--defend superbly to the death--in all matches, big and small. For some Atletico fans, myself included, this style of play can be maddening at times because we know Atletico has the talent to play better looking football. We use as our rallying cry the 4-0 thrashing Atletico gave Real Madrid last year (see video here).

Atletico has the talent to play better looking football. Juanfran and Filipe Luis are two of the best in the world at their positions. I'm not sure which young players I'd prefer over Koke and Saul. Griezmann is world-class. Carrasco has emerged as a fantastic offensive player. Off the bench, Vietto, Correa, and Oliver Torres are known to be excellent with the ball. [On the other hand, I don't think Gabi is necessarily suited for better looking football.]

There is a video I favorited on Twitter of Atletico stringing together 15+ passes against Real Madrid before Griezmann fired over the crossbar. It was an excellent possession, one only that a talented team could pull together.

But I do really think Atletico can go toe-to-toe with Bayern or Barca over two legs? Can Atletico really compete with the world's best two teams for 180 minutes? I don't know, but I suspect Simeone thinks his team cannot play their game and win. So, he's not stubborn. He recognizes this gap and decides to go in a different direction. He puts together a game plan to neutralize two unbelievably talented clubs. He trains and coaches his players to perfectly carry out a style that he thinks he will allow Atletico to win.

And, now, for the second time in three years, Simeone has shown that he's right. That, when it matters, he can assemble and arrange the team in a way to win. It's not pretty, and it should be prettier. But it works. Yes, part of me wishes Simeone has the guts to allow his time to play like Barca and Bayern, to put aside any insecurities and excuses, and attempt to play Barca and Bayern with an attacking-style football. But Simeone's DNA programs him to win, to do whatever it takes. As a fan of a team that was largely irrelevant five years ago, we'll take it and we'll enjoy it.

Footnote: Arda Turan left for this reason. Turan was sick of chasing the ball, of playing a defense-first strategy. Rational fans understood this decision. But part of us wishes Atletico, at some point, would turn the corner and start playing a different type of football. My feeling is that, when Gabi retires, the switch may happen. Gabi is a special player for Simeone, but also a player with shortcomings. When he goes, it'll be hard for Simeone to replace his grit and his role in the defensive schemes. So next year may be the last for Simeone's defensive machine and the start of the move towards a better looking football.

All I can say... As a neutral I don't want to see another display like that in the final. That's the type of stuff that makes the game not fun to watch, at least for me.

But, it's not about what's pretty, it's about winning. Bayern blew their first leg approach and paid the penalty. Maybe Pep will fix it next year.

Oh, wait.

teddykgb said:

In a lot of ways, yesterday was as vulnerable as Atletico has looked in one of these matches for a while. I think Bayern 2 or 3 nils them most nights if they play like that, the chances were certainly there. I tend to associate Atletico with smothering the other team out of the match more than they did. The holes were there and Bayern didn't take their chances. I don't htink this has much to do with Pep, either. Over the two legs the players had ample opportunities to score and put the tie to rest and they weren't able to. As much as anyone, I love to look at the tactics but especially against a packed in defense it ultimately comes down to taking the chances as they are presented.

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That was what struck me as well. They played much better against Barcelona, even given that they were down a man for half the away leg. Barca really didn't generate that many chances and had a lot of trouble advancing the ball in the area between the half line and the box, with Atleti tackling like crazy and giving them very little time on the ball to pick passes. Whether it was Simeone's tactics or Bayern's superior possession play or both, this tie - and especially the second leg - was very different, with Bayern basically able to just carry up toward the box almost at will and then everything resting on whether Atletico could defend the box with two banks of four.

For me, football is much more interesting when there are contrasting styles. Yesterday was a bit extreme but I don't think that match is very reflective of Atletico as a whole. I love their combination of passion and organization and don't have any problem whatsoever with them making the final and hopefully (sorry) winning it.

I used to believe that only results matter for soccer, but in the past year I've come around to the aesthetics side of the game. In other words, I am happy rooting for a club that has success, but I think there are higher goals to strive for as well, especially at the highest level of the sport. If a team needs to park the bus and play on the counter to gain promotion, avoid relegation, achieve important results, etc., I think it's unfair and ultimately dumb to fault them for that. On the other hand, if a mega-club is so focused on results that it plays drab tactics, it leaves me as a spectator wanting more. I think that is why Chelsea is cast as the villain for so many soccer fans. Atleti falls into somewhat of a gray area and I think Bosox captured it better than I ever could. They are a disciplined, defensively-sound machine and that is to be lauded. They are likely capable of more though, but against a superclub like Barca or Bayern, I can't fault them for just getting results. If you weren't entertained by that second half yesterday, I don't know what to say - that was absolutely riveting stuff. I don't think their time wasting was any worse than any other team in a high stakes game nursing a lead. It's a lamentable part of the sport and I wish there was more appetite to address it, but I don't fault Atleti for that.

In a perfect world, teams would be fairly matched and both would come out with the intention of attacking fearlessly. American sports generally have changed the rules of the games to promote scoring. I don't know that I want soccer to do that - the fact that the game has remained mostly unchanged for over 100 years gives rise to interesting trends and patterns in tactics and makes comparisons across time very fun. So, while I understand that some are turned off by Atleti (as a Barca fan, I know better than most how frustrating/infuriating it can be to play them), I have more respect for them than criticism, and it's up to their opponents to scheme and execute and break down their system.

SocrManiac said:

All I can say... As a neutral I don't want to see another display like that in the final. That's the type of stuff that makes the game not fun to watch, at least for me.

But, it's not about what's pretty, it's about winning. Bayern blew their first leg approach and paid the penalty. Maybe Pep will fix it next year.

Oh, wait.

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I'm a bit confused with this mentality. That game wasn't fun for you? It was thrilling, even as Atletico parked the bus. Two penalties, both saved. A brilliant counter-attack goal. A great game in net by Oblak. A fantastic build-up on Bayern's second goal. Vidal's constant intensity. Simeone yelling at Guardiola.

Your post is even more ironic considering your name "Socrmaniac".

I don't find the antics fun. When they're actually playing the sport on the field, it can be thrilling. But the gamesmanship and skirting the boundaries is just bullshit to me.

The match yesterday was fun because the teams were perfect foils. Atletico could do their bunker down thing and Bayern threw everything they have at them, which was considerable. I think the fear is that somehow a relatively weak team (like City) or another team who plays the same way makes it to a final against Atletico and then you don't get the excitement you want out of a CL final

I'll be rooting for City today, obviously, but that would setup to be a drab and uneventful final. And really, who is all that interested in another Real/Atleti battle royale? This is the problem Atleti creates for the neutral. Most of the fun and excitement of the CL is seeing teams who don't normally play but dominate their leagues go head to head with each other. You're supposed to wonder how they will match up, whose talent will prove superior, but with Atletico you know exactly what is going to happen, the only question is whether the team against them will convert the chances or not. It makes for great theater while it happens, even, but it takes a lot of fun out of the build up, at least.

Zososoxfan said:

I used to believe that only results matter for soccer, but in the past year I've come around to the aesthetics side of the game. In other words, I am happy rooting for a club that has success, but I think there are higher goals to strive for as well, especially at the highest level of the sport.

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I think this is a lot easier when you root for a club that has the success of Barcelona.

I'm really enjoying that Wednesday are playing some pretty soccer this season- they build from the back, they can attack in different ways, they have scored some beautiful team and individual goals. I'd be happy with them playing 10 in their box and biting every opponent who came near if it helped get to the Premier League.

teddykgb said:

The match yesterday was fun because the teams were perfect foils. Atletico could do their bunker down thing and Bayern threw everything they have at them, which was considerable. I think the fear is that somehow a relatively weak team (like City) or another team who plays the same way makes it to a final against Atletico and then you don't get the excitement you want out of a CL final

I'll be rooting for City today, obviously, but that would setup to be a drab and uneventful final. And really, who is all that interested in another Real/Atleti battle royale? This is the problem Atleti creates for the neutral. Most of the fun and excitement of the CL is seeing teams who don't normally play but dominate their leagues go head to head with each other. You're supposed to wonder how they will match up, whose talent will prove superior, but with Atletico you know exactly what is going to happen, the only question is whether the team against them will convert the chances or not. It makes for great theater while it happens, even, but it takes a lot of fun out of the build up, at least.

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I like this though...that's the theater. Of course I like Mourinho too. I think that's the challenge.

Dummy Hoy said:

I think this is a lot easier when you root for a club that has the success of Barcelona.

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It's almost like it gives a fan coverage in the face of any potential defeat. Sure, Barcelona may lose every once in a while on the field, but they are undefeated when it comes to providing joie de vivre.

Dummy Hoy said:

I think this is a lot easier when you root for a club that has the success of Barcelona.

I'm really enjoying that Wednesday are playing some pretty soccer this season- they build from the back, they can attack in different ways, they have scored some beautiful team and individual goals. I'd be happy with them playing 10 in their box and biting every opponent who came near if it helped get to the Premier League.

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I didn't mean this specifically as it applies to Barca. I have a ton of respect and enjoy watching aggressive entertaining teams, even if they don't win. Do I want Barca to win every game, yes, but my primary goal is to be entertained. The thing about watching Barca regularly for example, is that you put up with some mind-numbing possession dominance for those moments of inspiration when they quickly put together a string of passes that you just don't see at any other level or at any other club. But even between the Pep and Lucho iterations, I think the Lucho version is more fun to watch because of the directness, even if Pep's system showcased their supreme passing technique better.

What I find hard to reconcile is that EPL soccer by and large, is up and down and direct. The pace in your standard EPL match is furious and it makes for captivating watching. However, if you watch enough Liga, you certainly come to appreciate how much control and skill the players and teams have. So, while EPL makes for great theater and lots of action, I also enjoy it knowing (or at least thinking) that these teams would struggle with the skill of several Spanish sides. It's what makes the sport great and discussions like this fun.

Just wait until the summer and Copa America/Euros. The teams are so disjointed, especially at first, that the games are a slog. Many teams at international competitions play conservatively, and just hope that the attacking skill players conjure up some magic. By the end of tournaments though, teams have gelled enough that they can put together some competent tactics and it all becomes fun again. Argentina is the best example of this. From 1998-2010, Argentina played attacking positive football, culminating in the famous team goal against Serbia in 2006. In 2014, Sabella scrapped that in favor of a strong cohesive defense, and the team made it to the final. It wasn't nearly as fun, Argentina struggled to score against Iran, Switzerland, the Netherlands, etc., but the results were there. Again, just another data point to consider.

The Spanish national teams of the last 10 years have bored the ever living shit out of me. But I'm glad they existed to show a way to be successful. As has been posted here, the spanish club sides have dominated in recent years too...it's an evolution of the game, one of many in its long history. One of the successful counters to this has been used by the Simeones and Mourinhos; a lot of people hate watching (or playing) that, but it works.

Hey, Spain 2010 spared us from the indignity of having that Netherlands team as champions. You want to talk about the international equivalent of a Chelsea or any other flop-heavy, happy-to-cause-an-injury bunch of jerks, that's your Robben and De Jong all-stars right there. Give me tiki-taka over that any day of the week, even if it's a little slower-paced than, say, Everton.

City is going to have to channel Atleti, stay disciplined, play largely on the break, and take a chance when it falls to them.

The central midfield matchup of Yaya-Fernando-Fernandinho versus Isco-Kroos-Modric is about as one sided as you'll ever see at this stage in the competition in terms of ball skill and possession play. City losing Silva and Real inserting Isco for Casemiro, who also seems injured, really tilts that matchup to the extreme. City isn't going to have much of the ball today but if they can grab one goal on the break or from a set piece then they've got a chance.

Real Madrid gets a break: Kompany goes out with an injury in the 10th minute.

Bad break for City with that deflection. Now lets see what they can conjure offensively.

Looked like a brilliant shot from Bale at first, but turns out it was a rather lucky deflection -- though it looked as though there was a Madrid player at the far post.

At least the possibility of extra time has been eliminated. It's game on now.

City is still very much in this, despite having one shot on target over the first 135 minutes, and that was never-very-likely-to-work free kick from the wing by De Bruyne in injury time of the last match.

I don't have a lot of faith in Real's ability to kill off a game, so City is still likely to get chances with the current setup. But if it stays 1-0 for a bit, or they concede another, I would put Iheanacho and Sterling on for Navas and Fernando, dropping Yaya into the pivot with Fernandinho.

The right sub would probably be Sterling for Toure, but Sterling has looked awful since coming back from injury. I suppose you could roll the dice with Ihenacho on a wing as well. KDB has to be moved central, he's City's only dangerous player and needs to be on the ball with options not shunted wide.

1-0 doesn't change much. It's an unlucky goal to have conceded but there's little to complain about as a City fan when the attack has been so poor. Unlucky goals happen.

teddykgb said:

The right sub would probably be Sterling for Toure, but Sterling has looked awful since coming back from injury. I suppose you could roll the dice with Ihenacho on a wing as well. KDB has to be moved central, he's City's only dangerous player and needs to be on the ball with options not shunted wide.

1-0 doesn't change much. It's an unlucky goal to have conceded but there's little to complain about as a City fan when the attack has been so poor. Unlucky goals happen.

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I think if you want to take off Toure you do it soon for tactical reasons while the game is pretty open. The closer you get to the end of the game, with Madrid likely to be conceding possession more, the more you want a player like him on the pitch who can occasionally create a goal from nothing against a packed defense.

It's really easy to forget that Aguero is on the pitch. Whether it's Real Madrid's strategy or City's lack of talent around him (ha!), it's strange to think of such an elite player having such a small impact in a must-win game.

Edit: I'm not trolling. I don't quite get why Aguero seems lost out there today.

Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:

I think if you want to take off Toure you do it soon for tactical reasons while the game is pretty open. The closer you get to the end of the game, with Madrid likely to be conceding possession more, the more you want a player like him on the pitch who can occasionally create a goal from nothing against a packed defense.

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city need energy. They've played this match and season at a walking pace. This is a CL semi and nobody moves for the ball, makes runs, or does anything really. Yaya is one of the major culprits for this, he's just a complete shadow of the player he was. Yes, there's always a chance he'll conjure something up from nothing but you pay dearly to take that risk. Sterling or Ihenacho for him would injet some pace and allow City to try to press with a front 4 or 5 and turn over Real madrid which has been their only real form of attack in the CL this season

edit: Aguero has gotten too static over the last year and a half. He's often content to sit in between the CBs and run behind when a headed ball comes in on the off chance the CB misplays it. Ramos also seems to be playing with the intent of playing Aguero as rough as possible until he picks up a card, which has been effective. But mostly Aguero is just super isolated and doesn't really have much of a capability to go get the ball and beat 7 men, which is reasonable.

Thanks, teddy. Reading your post helps explain what I'm seeing.

I feel like another goal is coming, one way or another. Real just aren't well set up to concede possession and defend for 20 minutes.

That tackle by Vazquez is a red in most leagues on most weeks. Ugly stuff. Sterling deserved it for the dumb decision to wait for the defenders to close him out then running it to the goal line for reasons unknown

Martin Tyler is just dying to reprise his "Agueerrrroooo!!!" call.

Kovacic for Modric is a weird sub.

That's one reason you don't use your last sub on a defensive midfielder who didn't need to be subbed!

Please score, City. I can't stomach three weeks of seeing and reading about Ramos's miraculous goal against Atletico two years ago.

After that performance, Atletico are favorites, right? Madrid gets one goal, at home, against a sad-looking (sorry, teddy) Man City team. Oh, and the goal was off a lucky deflection.

Real Madrid were unimpressive but were the better team over 2 legs. City's run was improbable given the way they played in the league all season but ended up playing in this one as they have all year.

edit: the real bummer for me is Kompany. It's just so sad. City looked up for it until he was hurt and everything just seemed to deflate. He's such a tremendous player but he's been permanently inured for 2 full seasons now. I can't imagine his frustration and it just really sucks to have a great player like that completely wiped out. I wanted to see him be one of the greatest defenders in the world and now I mostly just get to see him subbed out early.

It's a shame Yaya is a shell of his former self and Kompany just can't stay on the pitch. It'll be interesting to see how different City looks once Pep comes on board.

Its a big accomplishment for City to have broken through and made the semis, given their history in this competition, and I'm sure the best is yet to come with Guardiola.

But that was a pretty sad and toothless performance across the two legs for a club with a lot of quality players. Say what you will about Atletico and their tactics, they actually created many more quality chances than City did.

Go Atleti in the final!!

I'd say Atleti is the favorite. Give the CBs more time to recover and for the team generally to rest so they're ready to put forth a huge effort in the UCL final. I wonder if Real and Atleti will field JV squads in the 2 remaining Liga fixtures. That race is not over by any means.

Great. So, the third year of four where the European final is a glorified cup final. I hate it.

The thing that makes the CL great is that it's not the same clubs playing each other over and over. Oh well, nothing to be done.

Yesterday on xm's soccer channel, I heard a stat that La Liga teams are 44 of the last 47 two-leg CL and Europa League elimination ties in which the other team was from another league. I guess it's now 45 of 48. Pretty astounding. Doesn't seem possible, but they seemed sure. Can't find anything online to confirm.

Zososoxfan said:

I'd say Atleti is the favorite. Give the CBs more time to recover and for the team generally to rest so they're ready to put forth a huge effort in the UCL final. I wonder if Real and Atleti will field JV squads in the 2 remaining Liga fixtures. That race is not over by any means.

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With two weeks from the last La Liga fixture to the Champions League, I don't think there is much of a problem. I think they'll both go all out to win those last couple games in case Barcelona slips up.

Any neutrals rooting for Real?

Friedel points out that if Atletico win, they'll have done it by knocking out Barca, Bayern, and Real in succession, which would be pretty damn impressive.

Couldn't help but contrast the last ten-fifteen minutes of the Bayern/Atletico game with this one. Wave after wave of Bayern attacks with six or seven men in the box .. an incredible sense of urgency .. As opposed to .. That.

City looked a hundred years old. The only desparation cross I can remember had one City player (Aguero) waiting in the box. Pep is going to have one hell of a job on his hands.

Morgan's Magic Snowplow said:

With two weeks from the last La Liga fixture to the Champions League, I don't think there is much of a problem. I think they'll both go all out to win those last couple games in case Barcelona slips up.

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Don't have to worry about the Copa del Rey final either

sachmoney said:

Any neutrals rooting for Real?

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I don't give a shit who wins. Just don't want to waste my time. Their last final was dramatic. I'd take another match like that vs Milan-Juve in 2003.

BCsMightyJoeYoung said:

Couldn't help but contrast the last ten-fifteen minutes of the Bayern/Atletico game with this one. Wave after wave of Bayern attacks with six or seven men in the box .. an incredible sense of urgency .. As opposed to .. That.

City looked a hundred years old. The only desparation cross I can remember had one City player (Aguero) waiting in the box. Pep is going to have one hell of a job on his hands.

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Not just 100 years old but their "secondary attackers" - the players who come forward to create overloads and numbers - are just awful offensively. That a club like City would end up fielding Sagna, Clichy, Fernando, and Fernandinho in the biggest match of their season is....not good. Their front four didn't do very much, and Silva's injury hurt, but there's only so much you can do against a decent defense when only lining up with four players who make any offensive contribution whatsoever (three if we don't count Navas).

Zososoxfan said:

I'd say Atleti is the favorite. Give the CBs more time to recover and for the team generally to rest so they're ready to put forth a huge effort in the UCL final. I wonder if Real and Atleti will field JV squads in the 2 remaining Liga fixtures. That race is not over by any means.

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Not sure I see AM as the favorites. RM played the first leg without Benzema or Ronaldo in Manchester, and then again without Benzema in the second leg. Give them two weeks to get everyone healthy and rounded into form, and I don't think Real is the underdog to anyone other than maybe Barca or Bayern at full strength.

I also think Zidane has discovered a key piece to the midfield in Casemiro. He's the one guy in the midfield that actually plays defense, allowing Modric and Kroos to get forward and join the big three up front. He's not a big name like James Rodriguez, but he plays a very critical role.

sodenj5 said:

Not sure I see AM as the favorites. RM played the first leg without Benzema or Ronaldo in Manchester, and then again without Benzema in the second leg. Give them two weeks to get everyone healthy and rounded into form, and I don't think Real is the underdog to anyone other than maybe Barca or Bayern at full strength.

I also think Zidane has discovered a key piece to the midfield in Casemiro. He's the one guy in the midfield that actually plays defense, allowing Modric and Kroos to get forward and join the big three up front. He's not a big name like James Rodriguez, but he plays a very critical role.

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Valid on Benz and CRon. Anyone who follows Real could tell you they needed a bona fide pivot. It's incredibly unfair that Benitez tried to play him, got shot down by Perez, played the lineup Perez wanted, then got fired when the squad was bunk.

FWIW, Real and Atleti drew their first Liga match 0-0 and Atleti won the return fixture 1-0. There's no doubt that Real has the better squad on paper (especially on offense), but AM has been playing well and getting the results. I put a lot of stock in the fact that they took out Barca and Bayern whereas Real beat MANC and Wolfsburg, YMMV. Atleti had them on the ropes 2 years ago before Ramos bailed them out. I expect and hope Atleti avenge that defeat and claim the title.

There is no favorite. Atletico and Real Madrid are equally matched, and both are capable of great football and terrible football. Each team still has a shot to win the league, so I expect both teams to go full throttle over the next two weeks. Real Madrid plays Valencia at home then travels to Deportivo, while Atletico travels to already-relegated Levante and is at home against Celta. The last two games are on Sunday, meaning that there is plenty of rest between matches to play the best players in the last two weeks.

Then, each team has two weeks off, enough time to recover injured/tired players and enough time to disrupt any rhythm.

I think having an extra week of rest slightly favors Atletico, both because they play a more intense style that requires more energy, and because they have the better coach who will benefit from more time to prepare.

Also this time hopefully Atletico won't be hampered by their star half-fit center forward limping off after ten minutes.

Current betting odds, adjusted for vig:
RM 56%
AM 44%