Fresh start for familiar neighbours Real, Atletico

MADRID: Last season's Champions League finalists Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will meet for a seventh and eighth time this season after being paired together in the Champions League quarterfinals on Friday.

Atletico will host the first leg on April 14 before travelling across Madrid for the return on April 22.

Real emerged victorious in the Lisbon f inal last May as Sergio Ramos's stoppage time header prevented Atletico from winning the trophy for the first time, before goals in extra-time from Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo sealed a 4-1 win.

However, the tables have turned quickly in the Spanish capital with Atletico winning four and drawing two of the six meetings between the sides this season, including a 4-0 rout in their most recent clash last month.

Real were shorn of five key f irst team regulars that day and the club's director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueno, is confident it will be a different story when the European champions are at fullstrength.

"I think the Champions League has a di f ferent perspective and the circumstances are different," he said.

"If we can get all our injured players back, the first game is on the 14th, so we have three weeks to go, which is a long time.

"Atletico know how to compete, defensively they concede very few goals and are very strong from set-pieces. They are a team that get the most out of every situation." - AFP