Before the current clash, the record was perfectly even: two wins for each team and two draws

In the Champions League Round of 16 on February 24, 2026, Atletico and Brugge will play the second leg. The winner will advance to the next round.

The Spanish giant regained its usual third place last season. Even now in La Liga, it is unlikely to aim for anything more, having fallen too far behind the leading pair. In the cup, they managed a confident 4-0 against Barcelona and are now one step away from the final round. The Belgians last spring missed out on the title to their main rival of recent years—Union. They beat Union in the Super Cup in the summer, but in the Pro League their lead is again in question—with Sint-Truiden also keeping pace alongside the usual favorites.

In the Champions League, Atletico started with defeats in the first three rounds to Liverpool and Manchester City. But between these setbacks, there was a 5-1 win over Eintracht, and later the team notched three straight victories, securing early qualification for the playoffs. After relaxing, they settled for a draw in Istanbul against Galatasaray in January and even lost at home to a motivated Bodo/Glimt.

Ivan Leko’s men (he, by the way, only returned to the project in December) began their tournament path in the summer, confidently eliminating both Red Bull Salzburg and Rangers. Starting the main round with a win over Monaco, they managed just one point in five matches until the end of 2025. So, to reach the playoffs in January, they had to win twice—and did so convincingly: 4-1 against Kairat and 3-0 against Marseille. Against Simeone’s stars, after trailing 0-2 and 2-3, they managed to secure a draw.

Atletico vs Brugge: Key Stats and Trends
Atletico have failed to win three matches in a row
The club scores an average of 2.22 goals and concedes 2.0
Brugge have won two of their last three league games
The team scores an average of 2.38 goals and concedes 1.77
Atletico vs Brugge: Possible Starting Lineups
Atletico (probable lineup): Oblak – Ruggeri, Gantzko, Pubil, Molina – Llorente, Koke, Griezmann – Lookman, Alvarez, Simeone

Brugge (probable lineup): Mignolet – Saiss, Mechele, Ordonez, Sabbe – Nwadike, Stankovic, Diakon, Vanaken, Tzolis – Trezoldi

Previous Matches: Atletico vs Brugge
Before the current clash, the record was perfectly even: two wins for each team and two draws.