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Champions League: Atletico stifles Barcelona, Bayern survives Man Utd

Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin frustrated Cesc Fabregas, left, and Lionel Messi, center, with Atleti eliminating Barcelona from the Champions League.

Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin frustrated Cesc Fabregas, left, and Lionel Messi, center, with Atleti eliminating Barcelona from the Champions League.

Real Madrid has awesome forward power: Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale and technically gifted, quick, powerful and direct on the flanks, and Karim Benzema has found a way of offering a focal point without obstructing either. The problem is at the back, where weaknesses were shown up both in the Clasico and by Borussia Dortmund. It is vulnerable to pace, particularly when attacked in wide areas.

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