Atletico Madrid to face Manchester City or Atalanta in Champions League preliminary round
The new Champions League has already reached the halfway point and has left some surprises, such as Real Madrid, City and Atletico out of the round of 16 and having to play the preliminary round.
There are still half of the matches to be played, but it is already possible to see how the possible crosses of that preliminary round of the future round of 16 of this new format would be. Atletico Madrid will face Manchester City or Atalanta in the preliminary round, with the return leg away from home.
The winners of those eliminators will pass another 8 teams to complete the 16 that will be in the round of 16, and will face the 8 already classified. If Atletico wins its round of 16, it will play the round of 16 against Dortmund or Aston Villa, also with the return leg away from home. There are still four days to be played, but there are already teams that are against the ropes with Real Madrid having fewer and fewer options to qualify among the top 8 that would give them direct access to the round of 16.
