Two of the teams that have turned heads away from Europe in the Club World Cup clashed in the first fixture of the knockout stages. But perhaps familiarity bred contempt: the two camps cancelled each other out for most of a match that was tight and tense but seldom a spectacle. Tactical analysis and match […]

Atlético Madrid overcame Botafogo, but it was the Brazilians who made it through to the next round. The Madrid side’s persistence, high press and midfield overloads might have yielded a bigger win on another day. However, the Rio de Janeiro team defended combatively in a medium-low block and gave Atlético plenty to worry about through […]