Champions League knockout phase play-off first leg: Club Brugge vs Atlético de Madrid facts

The UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs bring Club Brugge into opposition with Atlético de Madrid once more with both clubs bidding to reach the round of 16 for the second season in succession.

Club Brugge won their last two games to finish 19th in this season's league phase on ten points (W3 D1 L4) with Atleti 14th on 13 (W4 D1 L3).

Last match

Each team has won three of the sides' eight fixtures. In the last, in the 2022/23 group stage, Club Brugge won 2-0 at home before a 0-0 draw in Madrid.

Antoine Griezmann scored twice and Koke once as Atleti beat Club Brugge 3-1 in Madrid in the 2018/19 group stage; the return in Bruges finished goalless.

Club Brugge have won both two legged ties between the sides, 4-3 on aggregate in the 1977/78 European Cup quarter finals (2-0 h, 2-3 a) and on away goals in the 1991/92 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter finals (2-3 a, 2-1 h).

The Belgian side are unbeaten at home against Atleti (W3 D1) and have not conceded a goal in the last three matches.

A 3-3 draw at home against Barcelona on Matchday 4 – in which they led three times – extended Club Brugge's unbeaten run against Spanish teams to five matches (W2 D3).

This is Club Brugge's first European Cup knockout tie against a Spanish team since beating Atleti in 1977/78. Their only other contest was a 2-0 aggregate success against Real Madrid in the 1976/77 second round.

Aside from their eight meetings with Club Brugge, Atlético's only other fixture against Belgian opposition is the 3-1 home win over Union Saint-Gilloise on Matchday 4 this season.

Club Brugge

This is Club Brugge's 12th Champions League group stage campaign – level with Anderlecht's Belgian record – and an eighth in ten seasons.

Twenty-fourth in last season's league phase (W3 D2 L3), Club Brugge went out 1-6 on aggregate to Aston Villa in the round of 16.

Atlético de Madrid 

Atleti are making their 16th appearance in the Champions League proper and a 13th in succession. They have featured every season since 2013/14.

Runners-up in 2014 and 2016, both against Real Madrid, Diego Simeone's side lost to their neighbours on penalties in last season's round of 16 (1-2 a, 1-0 h, 2-4 pens). They had finished fifth in the league phase (W6 L2).

Key stats

Club Brugge are appearing in the Champions League knockout phase for the second season in a row and the third in four years, having not featured before reaching the 2022/23 round of 16. In 2024/25, they defeated Atalanta at this stage, winning 5-2 on aggregate (2-1 h, 3-1 a).

The Belgian club have won eight of their last ten two-legged European ties.

A 3-0 victory against Marseille on Matchday 8 means Club Brugge have lost only three of their last 21 home European games (W13 D5), scoring three or more goals in five of their six this season.

Atleti are in the knockout phase for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons and the 13th overall.

Simeone's side have lost four of their last six two-legged Champions League ties.

Last season's first-leg loss at Real Madrid was Atleti's fourth successive away knockout defeat.

Atleti have opened the scoring in four of their last five Champions League games, including in the 1-2 home defeat by Bodø/Glimt on Matchday 8.