Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid Champions League Preview: Start Time, Date, Team News, How To Watch & Live Stream

Real Madrid faces Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Round of 16, with the first leg of the tie taking place at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday, March 4.

The game will represent Real Madrid’s 500th in the European Cup. They are the first team ever to reach this remarkable milestone.

💫 Real Madrid's clash with Atlético will be their 500th European Cup game!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 3, 2025

The cross-city rivals have met 9 times previously in the Champions League, with Real winning five of those games, drawing two, and Atletico winning the remaining two.

Those nine games include two finals, both in 2014 and 2016, and Real were able to win both of those.

Their most recent meeting in the competition came during the 2016/17 season, at the semi-final stage.

MORE: Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid: 4 Classic Champions League Matches

The tie will be closely fought, with both sides desperate to get one over a bitter rival and claim the city's bragging rights. The two sides drew both league games this season and, domestically, are locked in a three-way battle with FC Barcelona for the league title.

Atletico will be confident of getting something, having qualified straight into this round by finishing in the top eight in the group stage. Still, Real Madrid looked superb in their play-off round games versus Manchester City.

Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid — IMAGO / Alberto Gardin

Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the second leg of that tie, and for the third time in four seasons, Madrid eliminated Manchester City from the competition.

Real Madrid team news vs Atletico Madrid

The big news about this game concerns Jude Bellingham. Though following Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Real Betis, his league suspension is now over, he must now sit out this game following an accumulation of yellow cards in the Champions League.

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham — Jude Bellingham will miss this game through suspension. | IMAGO / PGS Photo Agency

However, he will be back available for the second leg, played across the city at the Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday, March 12.

More positive news for Real manager Carlo Ancelotti is that Federico Valverde should be in contention after missing the last two games, against Sociedad and Betis, due to a muscle injury.

The midfielder was pictured back in training on Sunday, March 2, as he targets a quick return to fitness.