"CR7" appreciates the air of Madrid: in addition to having shone with Real between 2009 and 2018, the Portuguese has got into the habit of stacking up goals against the other club in the Spanish capital.

The striker has 25 goals in 35 games against the "Colchoneros", including two hat-tricks in C1.

He also scored in the final won in 2014 (4-1 ap).

Before finding his favorite prey, Ronaldo is having a less lively start to the year, with only one goal in the Premier League.

But the "Red Devils", undefeated for more than a month and a half, are doing better, and remain on a good victory in Leeds (4-2) Sunday in the Championship.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a penalty for Real Madrid in the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid in Lisbon on May 24, 2014 FRANCK FIFE AFP/Archives

"This game will give us extra energy for the Champions League," said coach Ralf Rangnick, who took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the end of November.

Opposite, Atlético, struggling since December in La Liga (6 defeats in 11 games), reassured themselves after their victory at Osasuna (3-0) on Saturday.

Hall in rhythm

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak kept his clean sheet for the first time since January 6 in the Copa del Rey, when Atlético had conceded 16 goals in 7 matches.

The other poster opposes two former winners of the C1, who accumulate six trophies between them.

Benfica players celebrate the opener at home against Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League group stage match on November 7, 2018 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA AFP/Archives

Ajax, who have four, are favorites against Benfica Lisbon, who qualified at the expense of FC Barcelona last December while the club coached by Nelson Verissimo was still under the leadership of Jorge Jesus, who left on December 28 .

Amsterdam has only two defeats in all competitions this season, both in the league, and remains on seven successes.

This fall, the Dutch have managed a full card, with six victories in as many games.

A faultless to which the Ivorian international striker Sébastien Haller is no stranger, the top scorer of the C1 with 10 goals.

Ajax Amsterdam Ivorian striker Sébastien Haller celebrates a goal at home against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League group match on October 19, 2021 François WALSCHAERTS AFP / Archives

"Before the competition, if you had asked me if I was going to score so many goals, of course I would have answered no," he savored in front of the cameras of Ajax TV, the club's official channel, on Sunday. .

Program for the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League:

.

Wednesday (return March 15)

(21h00) Atlético Madrid (ESP) - Manchester United (ENG)

Benfica Lisbon (POR) - Ajax Amsterdam (NED)

© 2022 AFP