Atlético Madrid are competing at the Club World Cup for the first time this summer, with previous UEFA Champions League near-misses prolonging their lengthy absence from the tournament.
However, the competition’s revamp has allowed the likes of Atléti in despite their continued failure to climb the European summit. Moreover, the strength of UEFA’s competing members means Diego Simeone’s side are among the most likely to go all the way in the United States, but their campaign couldn’t start against a more daunting opponent.
