UCL: Real Madrid draw rivals Atletico in repeat of 2014 final

After playing against Atletico on six occasions this season without winning a single game, former Real star Butragueno – who scored 171 goals for Los Blancos between 1983 and 1995 and is now the club’s director of institutional relations – acknowledged they would have preferred different opponents.

“Atletico are a very strong side,” he said. “The draw could have been a little kinder to us.”

The tie will present a rematch of last season’s final, dramatically won by Real after extra time following Sergio Ramos’s 93rd minute equaliser. Since then, however, Atletico have enjoyed complete domination over their more illustrious crosstown rivals.

They first crossed swords in the Spanish Super Cup at the start of the season, which Atletico won 2-1 on aggregate. Los Rojiblancos have since added a double in La Liga, including a 4-0 thrashing at the Vicente Calderon last month, and sent Real out of the Copa del Rey with a 4-2 two-legged triumph.

Butragueno acknowledged it will require a big effort from his team to overturn recent history, noting: “Atleti know how to compete, they concede few goals, they are experts at set-pieces and they extract the maximum out of every situation.

“We will have to be alert to everything over the two games. We’ll need to be at our best.”

Atletico boss Diego Simeone, meanwhile, refused to share any thoughts on the draw, insisting that he is focusing only on this afternoon’s league meeting with Getafe.

It is of course Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid in the #UCL quarter-final. Here is their head-to-head since 2014 #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/IVFLzrbPQg

— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) March 20, 2015

“They are a great team, just like the other seven who have reached this stage of the Champions League,” was Simeone’s only comment on the prospect of this season’s seventh and eighth Madrid derby clashes.

Director Clemente Villaverde was more forthcoming, however, arguing that his team’s triumphs over Real earlier this season will count for nothing – and insisting that there will be no thoughts of revenge for last year’s final.

“We’re happy to be in the quarter-finals, which is important for our club,” he said. “But recalling past situations doesn’t help at all. We can only focus on this tie now.”

Elsewhere, Barcelona and PSG, who were in the same group, were paired again. The French champions will be without suspended star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the first leg after the Swede was given a one-match ban following his sending off in the last-16 victory over Chelsea.

Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre said: “PSG are old foes for us and we met them in the group phase. They’re a great team who have reinforced their squad significantly and we’re going to have to fight for the victory.”

Porto won the first of their two European Cups in 1987 when they defeated Bayern, their quarter-final opponents, in Vienna. Bayern’s international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer expects a great atmosphere for the first leg in Portugal.

“The atmosphere in Porto is very heated. I witnessed the Porto fans during the 2004 Champions League final against Monaco,” said Neuer.

“With these fans it won’t be easy for us, but we have played in many different stadiums with varying atmospheres and we will know what to expect,” added the World Cup winner.

Finally Serie A leaders Juventus, who won the competition in 1985 and 1996, take on 2004 finalists Monaco with the first leg scheduled for Turin.

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim said: “Juventus are among the biggest sides. They are the favourites. We’re lucky to have the second leg at home. We’ll try to make the most of this quarter-final.”

Juventus sporting director Pavel Nedved added: “Monaco put in two great performances against Arsenal and particularly impressed me at the Emirates.”