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Atletico v Real: never-ending story to write new European chapter

Xinhua, April 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Real Madrid visit Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon Stadium for the fourth, but perhaps the most important time this season as the two city neighbors meet in the quarter-final of the Champions League.

Tuesday's game, which is a repeat of last season's final that Real Madrid won in dramatic fashion with an injury time equalizer from Sergio Ramos, will be the seventh time the two sides have met this season.

Given that they also played each other five times in the 2013-14 campaign, it is probably fair to say Real and Atletico have few secrets to hide from each other in styles of play and with both teams at more or less full strength, there are likely to be few tactical surprises.

So far this season has been Atletico's given that they beat Real Madrid home and away in the BBVA Primera Liga, inflicting a damaging 4-0 defeat on Real in the Vicente Calderon Stadium. They also defeated their neighbors on away goals to win the Spanish Supercup and knocked Real Madrid out of the King's Cup at the start of the year.

However, nobody in Madrid believes that what has gone before will have much relevance in the Champions League and Real travel across town with a clean slate, but most importantly with all of their players available and close to their peak condition.

Carlo Ancelotti was able to rest key players in his side's win against Eibar on Saturday, while Gareth Bale has trained after missing that game with a foot injury.

The only questions over Ancelotti's selection is whether Bale, James or Isco will get the nod or whether Pepe, who played 30 minutes at the weekend, will be risked ahead of Rafael Varene.

Atletico meanwhile couldn't rest players for their visit to Malaga and Diego Simeone's side had to dig deep for a 2-2 draw, so tiredness could be more of a factor with Simeone's men, who also have a doubt over the fitness of striker Mario Mandzukic, who was such a handful for the Real defense in his side's league win.

If Mandzukic fails to recover, Raul Garcia could well get the chance to use his physical presence to unsettle the visitors.

There will be a full house and an incredible atmosphere in the Calderon, but with two sides that know each other so well don't expect the tie to be decided until next week's return leg in the Bernabeu. Endi