Atletico forced to near-perfect run after Stuttgart draw for top-8

Atletico Madrid drew at Stuttgart in the third round of the Champions League league phase (1-1, goal by Julián Álvarez) and saw its push for the top-8 hit a brake. Diego Simeone’s side are after a finish in the top eight to reach the round of 16 directly, avoiding the ‘play-off’. They have four points from nine so far, and while there are 15 points left to play, the slip-ups mean they’ll need almost a perfect run.

Tight next stretch

Their next test is Bayern Munich, who will come to the Metropolitano in about two weeks. The schedule has already included trips to Liverpool and Stuttgart, plus a home match against Manchester United. After facing Germany, Atletico will host Viking and Fenerbahçe, then travel to PSV Eindhoven and Bodø/Glimt.

The piece sets the target using last season’s numbers: eighth place Manchester City reached 16 points, ninth Real Madrid finished on 15, and Atletico ended 14th with 13. That implies Atletico should win at least four of their remaining five games. If they drop points on November 3 against the German champions, the top-8 becomes seriously threatened—though not mission-ending, given last season’s ‘play-off’ route to the semifinals, as Mundo Deportivo notes.