Spanish football morning headlines: Atletico fail to repeat trick from 2014, La Liga on red alert in Europe and Barcelona looking to catch the last train | OneFootball

Spanish football morning headlines for 24 February

Atletico Madrid unable to repeat Champions League trick

Diego Simeone brought his men to battle with the ambition of repeating the plan that served Atletico Madrid so well back in 2014 according to a report in Marca. Los Rojiblancos drew the first leg at the Vicente Calderon 0-0 before going to Chelsea and winning 3-1 to secure their place in the Champions League final.

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La Liga on red alert in the Champions League

Spanish football is in crisis according to a report in Diario AS. After winning five of the last seven Champions League titles, its privileged status in the European game is in serious danger. German, English, Italian and French clubs have seen them off in Europe over the last two years, whether that’s been Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla or Valencia. This downturn has been underlined this season, with Barcelona, Atletico and Sevilla all losing the first leg of their last 16 ties. If Los Blancos fail this evening, Spanish football could be close to the modern nadir of 2005, when no Spanish clubs made it to the quarter finals.

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Barcelona trying to catch the last train for La Liga

Barcelona play Elche this evening at Camp Nou in La Liga according to Mundo Deportivo, a fixture that corresponds with the one the Catalans were supposed to open the season with. It marks the last they have to play to catch up after starting the season late due to European commitments, and it’s a pivotal one. Atletico Madrid’s stutter last week against Levante (twice) has opened a window for Barcelona to re-insert themselves in the title race, but it’s a narrow one that could close without victory.

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