Remote chances of a Madrid-Atlético derby in the Champions League playoff
The draw for the Champions League playoffs will take place this Friday, January 31. With the new competition format, the reissue of the Madrid derby is more feasible, although the chances of seeing it in the playoff elimination are remote.
Atlético faces the last day as the 5th classified and Madrid is 16th. To see a derby in the playoff, one of them must be classified between 9th and 16th and the other between 17th and 24th. Atlético can only fall, at most, to the 15th place.
So, for the possibility of a derby to occur, Madrid must fall to the positions between 17th and 24th. But it is also likely that Atlético will be enough to finish among the top eight by drawing. And, mathematically, Ancelotti’s team can never end up beyond the 22nd position.
Statistics also say that it is very difficult to see a derby in the playoff. Among other things, because the predictions give Atlético a great probability of qualifying directly for the round of 16 and those of Madrid of entering the top eight are minimal.
