Atletico Madrid have to be sick of Cristiano Ronaldo by now.
The superstar’s hat trick in Turin sent Atletico packing from the Champions League last season, his hat trick in Madrid denied them a place in the final in 2017, and he scored the winning penalty against them in the 2016 final.
At this point, Ronaldo is living rent-free in Atletico’s heads. He and Juventus will get another crack at them in Group D, which also includes Bayer Leverkusen and Lokomotiv Moscow.
| Team | To win group | To qualify | Not to qualify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juventus | 5-8 | 1-8 | 5-1 |
| Atletico Madrid | 3-2 | 2-9 | 3-1 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 12-1 | 9-4 | 1-3 |
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 66-1 | 10-1 | 1-18 |
Group winner
Scheduling could prove to be a driving factor in which side finishes top of the group. Atletico will have the Madrid derby just days before their trip to Moscow, a date with Valencia ahead of their visit from Leverkusen, and then a trip to Sevilla a few days before their return fixture against the Bundesliga outfit.
Juventus’ fixture list is even more daunting. They’ll visit Fiorentina and Atletico in a five-day span, contest the Turin derby days before a trip to Moscow, visit Atalanta ahead of their return fixture with Atletico, and …read more