Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid needed a penalty shootout to edge past Inter Milan and reach the Champions league quarter-finals after a dramatic last-16 clash ended 2-2 on aggregate on Wednesday.
Bilbao, who reached their 40th Spanish cup final, will bid to end a 40-year title drought in Seville on April 6, when they face Mallorca who beat Real Sociedad 5-4 on penalties on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid centre back Jose Maria Gimenez is facing another spell on the sidelines due to a thigh injury, the Spanish club said on Thursday.
Antoine Griezmann and Rodrigo Riquelme scored in extra time to give Atletico Madrid a 4-2 derby victory over last year's champions Real Madrid that earned Diego Simeone's side a Copa del Rey quarter-final place on Thursday.
An own goal by defender Stefan Savic and a strike by Brahim Diaz late in extra time gave Real Madrid a 5-3 comeback win over city rivals Atletico in a rip-roaring Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Riyadh on Wednesday.
Antoine Griezmann and Samuel Lino scored in each half to give Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Lazio on Wednesday that secured them top spot in Champions League Group E, the first time since 2016 that they had reached the knockouts as group winners.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid meet on Sunday in the biggest game of the LaLiga weekend with both teams trailing leaders Real Madrid and Girona and keen to prove they are equipped to stay in the title race.
Las Palmas climbed one spot into ninth in the table on 17 points after their fourth victory in five league games. Atletico, who had won their previous six league games, are third with 25 points, just three points behind leaders Real Madrid.
Feyenoord took over top spot in the standings on six points after a 3-1 win at Lazio earlier on Wednesday and the draw left Atletico second on five points, one clear of Italy's Lazio in third. Celtic are bottom with one point from three games.
Atletico, who have a game in hand, moved up to fifth place in the LaLiga standings on 13 points, six behind surprise leaders Girona. Real Madrid are second on 18 points, one ahead of champions Barcelona.
Azpilicueta has joined Atletico after the Premier League club agreed to let him go with 12 months left on his contract.
Spanish football representatives are set to choose the most prominent players to travel to Spain and spend a training period with the youth teams affiliated with those clubs.
After a difficult start to the season, Diego Simeone's Atletico have hit their stride and prior to the international break, they eased to a 3-0 home victory over Valencia to extend their unbeaten run in LaLiga to 10 games.
Felix, 23, joined Atletico from Benfica for a club record fee of 126 million euros ($135 million) in 2019 but has struggled to realise his potential, scoring 25 goals in three and a half seasons before joining Chelsea on January until the end of the campaign.
Substitute Rodrygo equalised in the 79th with a delightful goal, dribbling past three defenders before finishing well.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will be back on the pitch for their LaLiga games this weekend, licking their wounds after disastrous midweek performances in the Champions League.
Atletico Madrid’s win away at Elche was enough to ensure Atleti will be playing in the Champions League next term.
Whenever Atletico have looked close to rediscovering themselves, they have just as quickly drifted again off course.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid will have to put recent struggles behind them this weekend as they continue their scrap to finish in La Liga’s top four.
The Spanish team’s defense is expecting a tough mission to stop the visitors’ in-form attacking line, led by Mohamed Salah.
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