Atlético Faces Uphill Battle: Club World Cup Round of 16 Hangs in the Balance After PSG Falls to Botafogo

Group B Tightens After Shock PSG Defeat

The race for a spot in the Round of 16 of the Club World Cup has intensified following Botafogo’s stunning 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain. The win propels the Brazilian side to the top of Group B, leapfrogging PSG — who previously crushed Atlético Madrid 4-0 — and placing Atlético in a perilous position despite their 3-1 win over Seattle Sounders.

Crucial Final Match for Atlético Against Botafogo

The final group-stage clash between Atlético Madrid and Botafogo has become a must-win for Diego Simeone’s side. With a current goal difference of -2, Atlético must defeat the Brazilian leaders by at least three goals to have a chance of progressing — assuming PSG lives up to expectations and defeats Seattle. A 3-0 win would allow Atlético to overtake Botafogo on goal difference, finishing at +1 while dropping the Brazilians to -1.

PSG, meanwhile, sits with three points and a +3 goal difference. A draw won’t be enough for them if Atlético manages a victory. For Botafogo, the equation is simpler: a draw guarantees them first place, while even a narrow loss would still secure second place if PSG wins their match.

While unlikely, there remains a slim possibility for Seattle to advance — they would need to thrash PSG and hope for a loss by Atlético. The decisive outcomes will be revealed on June 23.

Atlético’s Past Brings Hope — and Doubt

There are reasons for optimism in the Atlético camp. The team has already won by three or more goals on 12 occasions this season. However, they must now repeat that feat against a disciplined Botafogo squad. Their 3-1 win in Seattle had momentarily reignited hope, only for Botafogo’s upset over PSG hours later to derail their momentum.

Unless Seattle pulls off an upset against PSG, Atlético will have to produce a commanding win to edge past both rivals on goal difference in the event of a three-way tie.

Can Atlético’s Attack Rise to the Occasion?

The 2024–25 season has shown that when Atlético finds its rhythm, goals can flow. Julián has proven himself a standout performer, Sorloth has contributed despite inconsistency, and although Griezmann has struggled to score, the team has often found a way through.

Recent La Liga fixtures provide encouraging signs: they beat Rayo 3-0, Real Sociedad 4-0, Betis 4-1, and Girona 4-0 in the final stretch of the league campaign. Most of those wins came at the Metropolitano, but they still reflect the team’s offensive potential.

Atlético has also secured emphatic wins away from home this season: 3-0 and 0-3 against Valencia, 5-0 over Getafe in the Copa del Rey, 4-1 at Salzburg, 4-0 at Elche, 5-0 at Valladolid, 6-0 at Sparta Prague, and another 3-0 against Girona.

Botafogo: In Form and Hard to Break

On the other side, Botafogo enters the final match with growing confidence. A draw would be enough to top the group, and even a narrow loss would keep them safe if PSG wins. Paiva’s team is on a five-game winning streak, including both World Cup fixtures.

Their defensive resilience makes Atlético’s task even tougher. According to EFE, Botafogo has only lost by three or more goals in three of their last 200 official matches — none of which occurred in 2025. The last such defeat came in December 2024, when they were beaten 3-0 by Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup after a goalless first half.

Previously, Botafogo suffered a 0-3 loss to Cruzeiro in July 2024 and a similar 3-0 defeat to Athletico Paranaense back in November 2022.

Botafogo’s Tactical Discipline Against PSG

In their most recent outing, Botafogo showed remarkable cohesion and defensive discipline, limiting European champions PSG to just two shots on target and 0.54 expected goals, without conceding a single clear-cut chance.

As the final group matches approach, Simeone faces a daunting challenge. To survive, Atlético must deliver one of their strongest performances of the season — both in defence and attack — in what promises to be a dramatic conclusion to Group B on Monday night.