Atletico Madrid had been hoping to reach the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2016/17 in April 2024, but their quarterfinal tie ended in heartbreak.
Diego Simeone's men held a one-goal lead in their clash with Borussia Dortmund after a nervy win in Madrid last week.
Dortmund had the home-field advantage in the second leg and the support of their impressive fan base helped BVB recover to win a thrilling game 4-2 and progress to the semifinals.
It meant further disappointment in Europe's top competition for Atletico and Simeone, who have been mainstays of the tournament in recent seasons and produced some memorable moments when it comes to the knockout phase.
The Sporting News takes a look at Atleti's history in the Champions League, along with the all-time winners of the competition.
MORE: Have Dortmund ever won the Champions League?
Have Atletico Madrid ever won the UEFA Champions League?
Despite reaching the final twice, Atletico Madrid have never won the UEFA Champions League.
They reached the final in both 2013/14 and 2015/16 and were beaten by Real Madrid on both occasions.
In a thrilling Champions League final in Lisbon in 2014, where Real Madrid clinched their 10th European Cup — a feat the club refers to as "La Decima" ("The 10th").
That match saw Diego Godin opening the scoring for Atletico before Sergio Ramos forced extra time with a dramatic late header, leading to a flurry of goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Despite Atletico's valiant effort, they faltered in the additional period, succumbing to Madrid's increasing pressure.
The 2016 finalwas far more tense at Milan's San Siro, but Madrid claimed their 11th European Cup title in a dramatic penalty shootout. Sergio Ramos put them ahead before Antoine Griezmann missed a crucial penalty for Atletico. Substitute Yannick Carrasco equalised late to force extra time, but ultimately, Ronaldo sealed the win from the spot after Juanfran's miss.
| Season | Stage Reached | Eliminated by |
| 1996/97 | Quarterfinals | Ajax |
| 2008/09 | Round of 16 | Porto |
| 2009/10 | Group stage | Chelsea, Porto, Nicosia |
| 2013/14 | Final | Real Madrid |
| 2014/15 | Quarterfinals | Real Madrid |
| 2015/16 | Final | Real Madrid |
| 2016/17 | Semifinals | Real Madrid |
| 2017/18 | Group Stage | Chelsea, AS Roma, Qarabag FK |
| 2018/19 | Round of 16 | Juventus |
| 2019/20 | Quarterfinals | RB Leipzig |
| 2020/21 | Round of 16 | Chelsea |
| 2021/22 | Quarterfinals | Man City |
| 2022/23 | Group stage | Club Brugge, Bayer Leverkusen, Porto |
| 2023/24 | Quarterfinals | Borussia Dortmud |
All-time Champions League and European Cup winners
The competition was known as the European Cup until 1992/93 when it was revamped and rebranded as the UEFA Champions League.
| Season | Winner | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | Manchester City | Inter Milan | 1-0 |
| 2021/22 | Real Madrid | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 2020/21 | Chelsea | Manchester City | 1-0 |
| 2019/20 | Bayern Munich | Paris Saint-Germain | 1-0 |
| 2018/19 | Liverpool | Tottenham Hotspur | 2-0 |
| 2017/18 | Real Madrid | Liverpool | 3-1 |
| 2016/17 | Real Madrid | Juventus | 4-1 |
| 2015/16 | Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid | 1-1 (5–3 pens) |
| 2014/15 | Barcelona | Juventus | 3-1 |
| 2013/14 | Real Madrid | Atletico Madrid | 4-1 (a.e.t.) |
| 2012/13 | Bayern Munich | Borussia Dortmund | 2-1 |
| 2011/12 | Chelsea | Bayern Munich | 1-1 (4–3 pens) |
| 2010/11 | Barcelona | Manchester United | 3-1 |
| 2009/10 | Inter | Bayern Munich | 2-0 |
| 2008/09 | Barcelona | Manchester United | 2-0 |
| 2007/08 | Manchester United | Chelsea | 1-1 (6–5 pens) |
| 2006/07 | Milan | Liverpool | 2-1 |
| 2005/06 | Barcelona | Arsenal | 2-1 |
| 2004/05 | Liverpool | Milan | 3-3 (3-2 pens) |
| 2003/04 | Porto | Monaco | 3-0 |
| 2002/03 | Milan | Juventus | 0-0 (3-2 pens) |
| 2001/02 | Real Madrid | Bayer Leverkusen | 2-1 |
| 2000/01 | Bayern Munich | Valencia | 1-1 (5-4 pens) |
| 1999/2000 | Real Madrid | Valencia | 3-0 |
| 1998/99 | Manchester United | Bayern Munich | 2-1 |
| 1997/98 | Real Madrid | Juventus | 1-0 |
| 1996/97 | Borussia Dortmund | Juventus | 3-1 |
| 1995/96 | Juventus | Ajax | 1-1 (4-2 pens) |
| 1994/95 | Ajax | Milan | 1-0 |
| 1993/94 | Milan | Barcelona | 4-0 |
| 1992/93 | Marseille | Milan | 1-0 |
| 1991/92 | Barcelona | Sampdoria | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
| 1990/91 | Red Star Belgrade | Marseille | 0-0 (5-3 pens) |
| 1989/90 | Milan | Benfica | 1-0 |
| 1988/89 | Milan | Steaua Bucharest | 4-0 |
| 1987/88 | PSV Eindhoven | Benfica | 0-0 (6-5 pens) |
| 1986/87 | Porto | Bayern Munich | 2-1 |
| 1985/86 | Steaua Bucharest | Barcelona | 0-0 (2-0 pens) |
| 1984/85 | Juventus | Liverpool | 1-0 |
| 1983/84 | Liverpool | Roma | 1-1 (4-2 pens) |
| 1982/83 | Hamburg | Juventus | 1-0 |
| 1981/82 | Aston Villa | Bayern Munich | 1-0 |
| 1980/81 | Liverpool | Real Madrid | 1-0 |
| 1979/80 | Nottingham Forest | Hamburg | 1-0 |
| 1978/79 | Nottingham Forest | Malmo | 1-0 |
| 1977/78 | Liverpool | Club Brugge | 1-0 |
| 1976/77 | Liverpool | Borussia Monchengladbach | 3-1 |
| 1975/76 | Bayern Munich | Saint-Etienne | 1-0 |
| 1974/75 | Bayern Munich | Leeds United | 2-0 |
| 1973/74 | Bayern Munich | Atletico Madrid | 4-0 (replay) |
| 1972/73 | Ajax | Juventus | 1-0 |
| 1971/72 | Ajax | Inter | 2-0 |
| 1970/71 | Ajax | Panathinaikos | 2-0 |
| 1969/70 | Feyenoord | Celtic | 2-1 (a.e.t.) |
| 1968/69 | Milan | Ajax | 4-1 |
| 1967/68 | Manchester United | Benfica | 4-1 (a.e.t.) |
| 1966/67 | Celtic | Inter | 2-1 |
| 1965/66 | Real Madrid | Partizan | 2-1 |
| 1964/65 | Inter | Benfica | 1-0 |
| 1963/64 | Inter | Real Madrid | 3-1 |
| 1962/63 | Milan | Benfica | 2-1 |
| 1961/62 | Benfica | Real Madrid | 5-3 |
| 1960/61 | Benfica | Barcelona | 3-2 |
| 1959/60 | Real Madrid | Eintracht Frankfurt | 7-3 |
| 1958/59 | Real Madrid | Reims | 2-0 |
| 1957/58 | Real Madrid | Milan | 3-2 (a.e.t.) |
| 1956/57 | Real Madrid | Fiorentina | 2-0 |
| 1955/56 | Real Madrid | Reims | 4-3 |
