Champions League history casts doubt on Real Madrid’s advantage over Atletico after 2-1 win | OneFootball

It may seem surprising to many, but the ground reality, as proved by the historic data, is not supporting Real Madrid’s 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid.

This is because Real Madrid have often struggled to protect a narrow lead in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie.

To put things in perspective, in five instances during the modern era of the competition where they secured a one-goal advantage in the opening match, they have been eliminated four times.

Historical records highlight these disappointing outcomes, with Juventus being the team responsible for three of those eliminations, while Bayern Munich inflicted the other.

A look at the past results

The first such instance took place in the quarter-finals of the 1995/96 season. After winning 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid travelled to Turin. Juventus responded strongly, securing a 2-0 victory that ended Los Blancos’ campaign.

A similar fate awaited them against the Italian side in later seasons. In the semi-finals of 2002/03 and the round of 16 in 2004/05, Madrid carried 2-1 and 1-0 leads, respectively, into the return legs.

Real Madrid have a troubling record in UCL knockouts after leading. (Photo by Ralph Orlowski/Bongarts/Getty Images)

On both occasions, Juventus turned the tables with 3-1 and 2-0 wins, the latter being settled in extra time. During that period, away goals carried extra weight in knockout rounds, a rule that no longer applies today.

Bayern Munich also managed to overturn a first-leg deficit against Real Madrid. In the 2006/07 season, Madrid won 3-2 at home but failed to hold on in Germany. Bayern’s 2-1 victory in Munich was enough to send them through.

The one win

Despite these past disappointments, there is one occasion where Madrid successfully defended a one-goal advantage.

During Carlo Ancelotti’s first tenure as head coach, Madrid edged past Pep Guardiola’s Bayern with a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu.

In the second leg at the Allianz Arena, they delivered a stunning performance, crushing the German side 4-0.

This history offers a mix of concern and hope for Madrid fans. While their past record raises doubts, their commanding win over Bayern under Ancelotti provides reassurance.