Atlético Madrid on The Brink at The Club World Cup
Simeone’s side must thrash Botafogo to avoid an early exit.
Atlético Madrid finds itself in a precarious position at the Club World Cup. A surprising 1-0 win by Botafogo over Paris Saint-Germain has left the Spanish side with their back against the wall, needing to beat the Brazilian team by three or more goals in their final group match — or hope for a slip from PSG against the Seattle Sounders, who are already virtually eliminated.
The heavy 4-0 defeat in their opener against PSG dealt a serious blow, one from which Diego Simeone’s squad has yet to fully recover. Although they bounced back with a 3-1 victory over Seattle — thanks to a brace from Pablo Barrios and a goal from Axel Witsel — it wasn’t enough. Now, all will be decided on Monday in Pasadena, in what shapes up to be a do-or-die clash.
Little room for error in a tight group
According to FIFA regulations, tiebreakers are settled by head-to-head points, goal difference between tied teams, and goals scored in those matches. Under these criteria, Atlético stands at -4, PSG at +3, and Botafogo at +1. This means the only clear path for the Madrid club is to defeat Botafogo by at least a three-goal margin — nothing less will do.
It’s a daunting task, but not impossible. Four of Atlético’s last eight official matches would have been enough to meet that requirement, including routs of Girona (0-4), Real Sociedad (4-0), Betis (4-1), and Rayo Vallecano (3-0). The real challenge lies in the form of Botafogo, who come in strong with five straight wins and only one loss in their last ten games. They haven’t lost by a three-goal margin since December 2024.
Simeone believes, but the margin is razor thin
After the win in Seattle, Pablo Barrios admitted they could’ve done more: “We had clear chances. These quick tournaments are decided in the boxes. We have to be sharper.” The team has momentum, but pressure is high.
Botafogo coach Renato Pavia acknowledged the strength of their next opponent: “Atlético is a huge team, well-built by Diego over many years. But I want all this effort to be worth it by beating them too.”
With everything on the line, Atlético Madrid faces the daunting task of pulling off a resounding victory to stay alive. If they fall short, they’ll face a disappointing early exit from a tournament they came to compete for.
