SEATTLE — For the first time ever, the Seattle Sounders will face a European power in a real competition when they face Atlético Madrid in the Club World Cup this afternoon.
It’s hard to overstate just how much of an underdog they’ll be.
Atléti — as they are colloquially known — currently rank as the 14th best team in UEFA’s club coefficient, a mathematical formula that takes into account each team’s league and continental competition results. The Football Database ranks Atléti as the 11th best club in the whole world.
Club World Cup preview: Atlético Madrid
Get to know one of the most consistent teams in Europe.
Led by Diego Simeone — generally regarded as one of the world’s best managers — Atléti have now finished in the top 3 of Spain’s La Liga in all but one of his 13 full seasons in charge. That includes a third-place finish in the most recent season, in which they also went to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 for the 12th consecutive season.
Their roster has an estimated value of €508.5 million, according to Transfermarkt, and features 20 players with senior international experience. Among them are 17 players whose estimated value is higher than anyone on the Sounders, with center forward Julian Alvarez (€100M) worth nearly twice as much as their entire roster by himself.
The Sounders are well aware of all of this.
“We’re true underdogs,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer. “We understand the position we’re in.
“That does not mean we’re not going to compete. For us to have any sort of chance, we have to outwork what is one of the hardest working teams in the world.”
Although the result wasn’t what they wanted — or the one they felt they deserved — the way the Sounders played in their Club World Cup opener is giving them some sense of belief even if the task is even taller than against Botafogo.
That both teams need points from this game — Atléti lost 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain — potentially plays into the Sounders’ favor.
“They have more to lose than we do,” Sounders midfielder Paul Rothrock said. “They’re the projected favorite in this, but they also need to win this game.
“If the Botafogo game gave us anything it gave us confidence and a bit of an edge that we still have more to prove. Everyone came out of that game with that little bit of disappointment that’s sometimes good for teams where you played a decent game, represented yourself well. I think we can use that as an extra boost of energy.”
The trick for the Sounders will be balancing their desire to play their game — one predicated on high pressing and lots of possession — with the reality that Atléti will have an advantage at virtually every position.
But the Sounders also understand this was what playing in the Club World Cup means, that this is their chance to test themselves against some of the world’s best.
“Getting to play against the best is the goal of any player,” Rothrock said. “You only get to see your best if you play against the best and this is the best I’ve ever played against so I”m excited to rise to the occasion.”
