Atletico Madrid set the stage to turn the tide against Inter Milan in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 duel at the vibrant Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday evening.
The Nerazzurri clinched a narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg at San Siro three weeks back, thanks to a late-game strike by Marko Arnautovic.
After a heart-wrenching exit from last season's Champions League group stage, Atletico Madrid have raised the stakes this season, advancing to the round of 16.
However, they face an uphill battle to secure their third quarter-final spot in five seasons, following a somewhat lackluster performance in the first leg against Inter.
Despite a dominating 5-0 triumph over Las Palmas in La Liga just days prior, the Spanish capital side lacked the decisive edge at San Siro, failing to convert any of their seven shots on target before conceding a late goal to Inter's substitute, Arnautovic.
Diego Simeone, the man who once wore Inter's colors on the field, finds himself under scrutiny as his Atleti side has managed only two wins in their last nine outings across all competitions.
Their struggles to find the back of the net were evident in their recent 2-0 defeat against Cadiz.
Currently, Atletico sits fourth in La Liga, six points adrift of Barcelona in third place. They are clinging desperately to their Champions League qualification position with only a two-point buffer over Athletic Bilbao in fifth, with just 10 matches remaining in the season.
Despite their recent woes, Atletico finds solace in their home fortress, the Wanda Metropolitano. They have lost just once in their last 32 matches across all competitions.
Moreover, their record against Italian opponents on home turf is impressive, having won seven of their last nine encounters.
On the flip side, Inter arrive in Madrid brimming with confidence, having triumphed in 14 out of their last 15 matches across all competitions.
Their latest victory, a hard-fought 1-0 win against Bologna in Serie A, underscores their current form.
Although Inter's coach, Simone Inzaghi, opted to rest key players like Lautaro Martinez in their recent Serie A fixture, the Nerazzurri emerged victorious. They further solidified their position atop the Serie A table with a commanding 16-point lead over second-placed AC Milan.
With their Serie A lead virtually unassailable, Inter can now channel all their energy toward Wednesday's crucial clash against Atletico. They aim to secure a quarter-final berth in the Champions League and perhaps go one step further than last season's runner-up finish.
While Inter's recent track record in Champions League knockout ties after winning the first leg suggests they are favorites to progress, history also suggests that overcoming Atletico at their home ground is no easy feat, with the Nerazzurri winless in their last ten visits to Spain in Europe's premier club competition.
As the showdown approaches, Atletico Madrid hold hope for the return of key players Antoine Griezmann and Jose Gimenez, although doubts linger over their fitness.
Meanwhile, Inter will miss the services of the injured Arnautovic and Carlos Augusto, adding to their absentee list, which includes Juan Cuadrado and Stefano Sensi.
