Atletico Madrid are facing probably the most decisive part of their season. 'Los Colchoneros' travel to Valencia this Friday in La Liga and their crucial stretch ends with the Champions League match in Liverpool on 11th March.
Three away games and as many at home. That is Atletico Madrid's schedule for the next month. It is, without doubt, the most important period of the season for Cholo Simeone's men.
There is a lot at stake for the Madrid based side in the next six encounters. Having been knocked out of the Copa del Rey tie at the hands of Cultural Leonesa, they just have the Champions League left. Realistically they cannot win the league as they are 13 points off Real Madrid and 10 off Barca.
That said, they want to do well at the Wanda to take a good lead into the second leg, but they will first want to beat Valencia at the Mestalla though, a win against a direct rival. Atletico have not beaten any of the top eight except Getafe.
After the away game at Valencia, Simeone's men will host Liverpool in the first leg of the last 16 of the Champions League. A very important encounter because the continental competition is the only one that Atletico can win this term.
They then have another home fixture, against Villarreal in the league, after that. A week later, they travel to Espanyol before hosting Sevilla. Their six game spell ends with the Champions League second leg at Anfield.
Winning the Champions League would be a great success for Simeone's men, but it's a difficult target. Not in vain, they have to do something the club have never done up to now: defeat the European champions. The team will have to vastly improve in attack.