Barça-Atlético and Wolfsburgo-Madrid
“Madrid only missed being drawn against [Belgian Pro League outfit] Charleroi because they weren't in the draw”, groaned Toni Freixa yesterday, taking on the role of spokesman, in one way or another, for all Barça and Atleti fans. Madrid, it's true, were dealt a lucky hand in the draw. In contrast, Barça and Atlético had no such luck, or to put it bluntly, didn't have any luck at all. Their plight reminded me of a phrase by the much-missed Luis Aragonés, who once told me that he didn't believe in luck, then added: “but I do believe in bad luck”. Bad luck is Barça and Atleti having to meet at the quarter final stage while Bayern and Madrid are contemplating their ties, against Benfica and Wolfsburgo respectively.
The Barça vs Atleti is a stellar tie - between the two teams occupying first and second place in LaLiga, which is without doubt the best league, as has been demonstrated by the staying power of our clubs both in the Champions and the Europa League. It also promises a contest between two different styles of football. Barça is, above all else, a team which revels in their colossal attacking trio, which appear to be turning into something never seen before in the history of football. Atlético are a hard-working team which battles for every metre and in every minute; a side which keeps risks and errors to a bare minimum but is quick to punish the slightest lapse from their rivals. Barça would have preferred not to meet Atleti or Bayern at this stage. Because playing against Atlético is a bit like having a tooth out at the dentists.
Wolfsburg aren't quite Charleroi but they sit eighth in the Bundesliga. They certainly deserve respect for the decent Champions League campaign that they've been enjoying. They give off a different air when playing in Europe to the one they show on the domestic front in Germany. But you argue the same about Madrid, whose performances on the road in LaLiga have been irritatingly apathetic. Friday's draw prolongs the dream of triumphing in the Champions to somehow compensate for a succession of calamities under Florentino's iron rod rule, which have started to irk the Bernabéu, where even goal fests no longer bring solace. That said, Barça remain the bookmakers' favourite to lift the trophy, followed by Bayern. Messi counts for a lot - with Atleti in the way or not.