Top 5 teams after first-leg round of 16 games | UEFA Champions League 2019-20

#4 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid beat defending champions Liverpool in the first leg

It was an unhappy return to the Wanda Metropolitano for defending champions, Liverpool. The Reds beat Tottenham Hotspur for the trophy at this venue back in June 2019 but were outdone by a well-drilled Atletico side who emerged victorious at their home ground against arguably the best team in the world this season. The former La Liga winners were nowhere close to our top five at the end of matchday 6, but beating the current champions is enough to earn them a place here.

Diego Simeone got his match tactics spot on. The Spanish side is well-known for their defensive football and their ability to shut down even the best attacks, and they did just that against the likes of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino. After scoring early through a corner, the 2014 and 2016 CL finalists gave Liverpool not a sniff of goal and shut down their fullbacks and forwards, earning a valuable clean sheet in the process.

Liverpool were the heavy favourites going into this tie, but it seems that the walk towards the latter stages will not be easy for the current Premier League leaders. The reason Atletico don't rank higher is due to their second-place finish in their group earlier this season, the better performances of the teams ahead of them in this list, and the fact that a one-goal cushion is never enough when you have to visit Anfield. For the time being, though, Simeone and his men can remain happy.