Atletico Madrid celebrated effusively their penalties win over Inter on Wednesday night, as they made their way through to the quarter-finals in dramatic fashion. The Atletico hierarchy will have an extra pep in their steps this morning too, given the windfall likely coming their way.
That is because the FIFA club rankings now make it highly likely that Los Rojiblancos will be present at the 2025 Club World Cup, a tournament that will be worth roughly €50m to the coffers. Real Madrid and Atletico are in pole position, and according to MD, Barcelona need a miracle in order to make it from here.
LONG LIVE DIEGO PABLO SIMEONE pic.twitter.com/JTsrmUtKZD
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) March 14, 2024
The Blaugrana need to win two more games and draw another, over their next four, of course meaning progress to the semi-finals, and Atletico would need to lose both of their quarter-final legs in order for the Rojiblancos to be overhauled in the rankings.
🚨 Barcelona hope to avoid Manchester City as the rival for the Champions League quarter-finals. @ffpolo pic.twitter.com/vFKme4FWP6
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) March 14, 2024
Barcelona will be desperate for all the income they can get this summer, but the hangover from four years away from this stage of the Champions League has bitten them hard financially over the last few years. No doubt Diego Simeone will be reminding President Enrique Cerezo and CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin of the needs of the Atletico squad when that income comes their way.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 🫵🤣