Atletico Madrid and Sevilla FC are common set to return to action within a tournament that brought them lots of joy inside the opening months of the season. Both clubs go deep into their Champions League last-16 first-leg matches in the week in fine fettle and looking to have a firm step for the next round.
Diego Simeone's men are gunning to arrive at the quarter-finals for the fourth straight season and face Germans Bayer 04 Leverkusen away within the first leg in their tie. The clubs locked horns with the same stage two years ago, with all the Madrilenians prevailing in a nerve-wracking penalty shoot-out after the teams had cancelled each other out over the two legs, which completed an aggregate scoreline of 1-1.
Simeone's troops will be favourites given their pedigree along with their excellent showing inside the group stage, through which they outperformed another Bundesliga heavyweight, FC Bayern Munich.
The German outfit's coach Roger Schmidt is with out them of his key figures, Hakan Calhanoglu, who seems to be serving a ban, but should be able to ask in-form striker Javier Hernandez, that knows information on scoring against Atletico from the Champions League.
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