Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid: 2 Key Battles to Watch

theScore’s Gordon Brunt and Carlo Campo examine two key matchups that will play a significant role in determining who emerges victorious from the first leg of the highly-anticipated quarterfinal clash between Madrid rivals Atletico and Real.

Sergio Ramos vs. Antoine Griezmann

Gord Brunt: Real Madrid supporters should take comfort that the chances of another thrashing away to their city rivals are slim and can be avoided with the return of captain Sergio Ramos.

The return of Ramos and other key figures recovering from injuries is a massive boost for Los Blancos both on the pitch and mentally. Players such as Marcelo, Pepe, James Rodriguez didn’t have to suffer the impact of February’s meltdown. They do, however, know the misery of falling to Atletico after experiencing losses earlier in the year.

Antoine Griezmann enjoyed most of the spoils during the 4-0 triumph at the Vicente Calderon. The two-pronged attack with Mario Mandzukic terrorized the Real Madrid back line and allowed Griezmann to unleash a handful of shots before eventually smacking one into the back of the net.

One or the other seemed to pop open consistently with the assistance of a talented midfield, capable of picking out smart passes while the two up front put Iker Casillas to work.

The overwhelming pressure from Atletico, however, might take on a different look with a full compliment of defenders at Real’s disposal. Deficiences won’t be as easy to expose this time around with a possible pairing of Ramos and Pepe using their notoriously physical style to throw Griezmann out of the comfort zone he enjoyed two months ago.

The winner between Ramos and Griezmann will ultimately be decided by the scoreline even if these two don’t have an impact on the goals. But it’s the battles throughout the match that will likely go in Ramos’ favour as his worldclass experience of going against the world’s best should benefit him against Atletico’s rising superstar.

An embarrassing result isn’t likely to occur twice in a row against a side as talented as Real Madrid. The club’s plethora of scorers alone should win the match, but a top class performance from Ramos and the rest of the defence will be the deciding factor in Real’s chances of winning their first Madrid derby of the season.

Luka Modric vs. Koke

Carlo Campo: There's something comedic about the fact that Real Madrid's Champions League campaign rests largely on such a small player - but Luka Modric will need to put in two flawless performances if the reigning champions are to take down Atletico Madrid in the quarterfinals.

Modric provides Real Madrid with something of a shield in front of their backline, ensuring that Sergio Ramos and Pepe don't get called into action. 

Against a side like Atleti, that's exactly the kind of presence needed to contain a player like Koke, who has notched two goals and four assists in the competition so far.

Koke will be looking to slice Real Madrid's backline with his solid passing abilities and crossing prowess, as he's done against Carlo Ancelotti's side on numerous occasions this season and as he's done against numerous clubs in the Champions League.

Removing Koke from the equation hinders Atleti's scoring abilities exponentially, and it will be up to Modric to limit his impact on the tie.