How free-scoring Atletico Madrid have become UEFA Champions League entertainers ahead of Arsenal clash - 'Quite a departure'

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Atletico Madrid host Arsenal in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final in what is being billed as something of an ‘anti-football’ derby - but how fair is this claim?

'Nobody owes us anything' - Simeone looks ahead to Atletico's UCL semi-final against Arsenal

Video credit: SNTV

The Gunners will arrive at the Metropolitano in the Spanish capital in a period in which their style of football has come under scrutiny for perceived over-reliance on defensive solidity over attacking flair, and something of a dependence on set-pieces for goals.

Ahead of the clash - live on TNT Sports and HBO Max - you’ll also likely hear talk of ‘dark arts’, time-wasting and tactical stoppages, with many expecting a complete contrast to the thriller in Paris 24 hours earlier.

In the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side have won 22 games, but 11 of those have come by a single-goal margin, while also topping the charts with the most goals from set-piece situations at 17.

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In Europe, however, The Gunners have looked more impressive in their run to the final four, scoring 27 times at an average of 2.25 goals per game, the seventh-highest of all teams in the competition this season.

But what of Atletico? There has been a long-held narrative that Diego Simeone’s side invented the playbook for the style of football which Arteta has seemingly adopted.

In his 15 years at the club, Simone has disrupted the established order in La Liga, and smashed the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly by winning two titles, as well as reaching two Champions League finals, although not always in the most attractive fashion and very much built on their rearguard strengths.

In 2013/14, Atleti almost achieved European supremacy for the first time as they reached the Champions League final conceding just six goals in 12 games, keeping six clean sheets.

They looked on course to lift the trophy, leading 1-0 against bitter rivals Real Madrid in the final until they were ultimately blown away after extra time, losing 4-1.

Two years later, they conceded just eight goals throughout the tournament, keeping eight clean sheets but losing the showpiece match, again, agonisingly to Real Madrid on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

Going forward, their style also struggled to win many admirers. Across all competitions that season, they scored 89 goals over 57 matches at an average of just 1.56 goals per game, and, for the next six seasons, only once would they manage more than 1.7 goals per game.

Season	Games	Goals	Goals per game
2025/2026*	57	110	1.93
2024/2025	55	109	1.98
2023/2024	54	104	1.93
2022/2023	49	85	1.73
2021/2022	51	80	1.57
2020/2021	48	77	1.60
2019/2020	50	68	1.36
2018/2019	51	79	1.55
2017/2018	59	96	1.63
2016/2017	58	106	1.83
2015/2016	57	89	1.56
2014/2015	56	95	1.70
2013/2014	61	116	1.90
2012/2013	56	93	1.66
2011/2012	31	52	1.68

*Up to April 28

However, things at both ends of the pitch have changed dramatically.

Between Simeone’s appointment in 2011 and the 2022/23 campaign, Atleti scored over 100 goals in just two of twelve seasons, but have hit this milestone in both the last two years, and once again in the current campaign.

Their average of 1.93 goals per game in 2023/24 was bettered the following year with a 1.98 average, and they are currently on 1.93 for this season.

This has been reflected in their Champions League games, with their 34 goals in this year’s competition ranking them third-highest scorers and fourth highest in terms of goals per game at 2.43.

Highlights: Atleti fight off Barca comeback to make semis

Video credit: TNT Sports

This remarkable scoring run comes via a dynamic frontline as highlighted by journalist and Spanish football expert Phil Kitromilides, who spoke exclusively to TNT Sports about Atleti’s strengths.

"The firepower that they have at their disposal, Julian Alvarez has got nine in 13 in the Champions League, which is more than he's scored in the league, in a lot more games," he said.

"Antoine Griezmann is still great, Giuliano Simeone is a very physical and dangerous player down the right-hand side, and Ademola Lookman's been a terrific signing in January.

"So, upfront, they look really, really strong, and we've seen that consistently in the Champions League."

In addition, they also have Alexander Sorloth to call upon, but also Marcos Llorente - nominally a right-back, but often deployed in midfield to pitch in with goals as Liverpool discovered earlier in the campaign.

Liverpool stunned as Llorente halves Atleti deficit with 'lovely finish'

Video credit: TNT Sports

'Would you believe it!' - Llorente strikes again as Liverpool pegged back

Video credit: TNT Sports

Atletico Madrid 2025/26 UEFA Champions League top scorers

	Games	Goals
Julian Alvarez	13	9
Alexander Sorloth	13	6
Marcos Llorente	12	4
Giuliano Simeone	13	2
Antoine Griezmann	13	2
Robin Le Normand	12	2
Dávid Hancko	11	2
Ademola Lookman	6	2
Johnny Cardoso	8	1
Jose Maria Gimenez	6	1

Simeone’s side are more than happy to throw caution to the wind, and it has paid dividends this term, as seen in the first leg of their last-16 clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Of course, the north London side were heavily architects of their own downfall, but those much-discussed errors made at the back can also be attributed to Atleti’s proactive ambition, effectively playing four forwards to pile on pressure as seen the graphic below.

Atletico Madrid average positions v Spurs (10 March 2026)

Image credit: Getty Images

Highlights: Spurs collapse in Madrid as keeper Kinsky hooked after 17 minutes

Video credit: TNT Sports

However, despite an emphatic scoreline, there was also little by way of midfield presence or protection, with Johnny Cardoso (5) often isolated, and allowing Spurs back into the game and encouraging a possible second leg fightback.

But the damage was done, largely due to Atleti being bold and unafraid to capitalise on Spurs’ weaknesses.

It was a similar case in the valuable 2-0 quarter-final first leg win at Camp Nou against Barcelona, when Pau Cubarsi’s red card for the home side allowed them to keep pushing high against their Liga rivals - in particular full backs Matteo Ruggeri (3) and Nahuel Molina (16) - to counter Barca’s wide threats and denying them the space to find what would have been a crucial consolation goal.

Atletico Madrid average positions v Barcelona (8 April 2026)

Image credit: Getty Images

Defensive tag banished - but at what cost?

That said, defensively, the solidity of years gone by seems to have disappeared somewhat with 26 goals conceded across their 14 Champions League games at an average of 1.86 per game.

Compare this with their Premier League opponents, who have only let in five goals in 12 games at an average of 0.42 per game.

Simeone’s side have one solitary clean sheet - remarkably against Barcelona in that quarter-final first leg - while Arsenal boast eight to date.

As well as the chaos of their knockout ties, Atleti also conceded 15 goals in the league phase - the most of any team to advance - including suffering a 4-0 defeat to the Gunners.

There have also been high-scoring encounters against Liverpool and PSV, and big wins against Eintracht Frankfurt and Club Brugge.

Atletico Madrid 2025/26 UEFA Champions League record

League Phase	Result
Liverpool (a)	L - 3-2
Frankfurt (h)	W - 5-1
Arsenal (a)	L - 4-0
Union St.-Gilloise (h)	W - 3-1
Inter (h)	W - 2-1
PSV Eindhoven (a)	W - 3-2
Galatasaray (a)	D - 1-1
Bodo/Glimt (h)	L - 2-1
Knockouts
Club Brugge (a)	D - 3-3
Club Brugge (h)	W - 4-1 (7-4 aggregate win)
Tottenham Hotspur (h)	W - 5-2
Tottenham Hotspur (a)	L - 3-2 (7-5 aggregate win)
Barcelona (a)	W - 2-0
Barcelona (h)	L - 2-1 (3-2 aggregate win)

"We've heard from Diego Simeone, who actually said a few weeks ago, 'this team, my team, attacks better than we defend', which is quite a departure from the traditional view of Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone's side," Kitromilides told TNT Sports.

"And if you look at the numbers that they've conceded a lot of goals this season, 70 goals in all competitions, it's the most they've ever conceded under Diego Simeone.

"So their progress in the Champions League, I would say, has got more to do with their firepower up front than their defensive prowess."

Against Club Brugge in the playoff first leg, an example of this is clear when pushing Molina high, even when protecting a lead late in the game, saw the Argentine get caught out, and a failed offside trap allowed Christos Tzolis in behind for a dramatic late equaliser.

Molina is out of position

Image credit: TNT Sports

...allowing Tzolis to get in behind

Image credit: TNT Sports

Tzolis bags dramatic equaliser as Brugge have final say in first leg

Video credit: TNT Sports

Even more concerning would be the early error-strewn goal they conceded to Barcelona in the second leg of their quarter-final, which shows what Arsenal themselves might be able to achieve if they put a bit of pressure on Simeone’s backline.

Watch: Yamal strikes early to give Barca 'start they craved'

Video credit: TNT Sports

'The two sides come together'

Ahead of the game, Simeone spoke to TNT Sports, and was asked about whether his side have undergone a tactical shift.

The Argentine opted not to be drawn into the specifics of how his team plays, instead highlighting that both offensive and defensive approaches are needed in order to reach their goals.

"I don't really know what defensive and offensive mean," he said, "I think a team tries to be a team, and from there, the one that manages to be more of a team is the one that competes better.

"Because it's clear that to win you need to stop conceding goals, and to win you need to score goals. So the two sides - defensive and offensive - come together, and whoever embodies that best is the one who ends up succeeding."

Highlights: Another goal fest as Sorloth hat-trick powers Atleti into last 16

Video credit: TNT Sports

Midlfielder Koke admitted that the team do now like to play more on the front foot, meaning it is possible for opposition players to capitalize.

"Our team, well, it means we score a lot of goals, we get a lot of players forward in attack, and there are times when opponents take advantage of those situations," he said.

"Things like, maybe, when we have a lot of men up the pitch, counter-attacks, situations where teams come at us with pace.

"So I think that's what he means, but we are an attacking team.

"When we drop back, obviously we all have to defend as a unit, and when we attack, we all attack together."

How to watch Atletico v Arsenal

Atletico v Arsenal will be live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.

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ALL STATS COURTESY OF OPTA

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