text: At the Ballon d’Or ceremony in January Carlo Ancelotti and Diego Simeone were runners-up as Joachim Low won the best coach award for guiding Germany to the World Cup. As the two men small-talked in Zurich, Simeone is understood to have asked Ancelotti how life was in Madrid and his answer demonstrated perfectly the dynamic between the two men. He said he was happy in the city and keen to stay, but that life would be a lot easier if Simeone were not on the other side of town managing Atletico Madrid. Having already lost the Spanish Super Cup to Simeone at the start of the season, and the first league meeting between the two teams, since the FIFA gala Ancelotti has been knocked out of the Copa del Rey by his nemesis and beaten 4-0 in the league. The pressure is on Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid when Atletico Madrid visit the Bernabeu on Sunday . Ancelotti reportedly told Diego Simeone that life in Madrid would be a lot easier if Atletico weren't around . Simeone (left) and Ancelotti (right) were runners-up behind Joachim Low at the Ballon d'Or in January . ‘We don’t need to beat them, we just need to go through’ was how he approached the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. That would have been fine had Real marked-up a high-scoring draw in the Calderon but the 0-0 somehow scraped by Atletico Madrid last Tuesday means that now a draw will not send Real Madrid through. Carlo needs to beat Diego – or else it’s either elimination or penalties. Ancelotti’s overall record against Simeone is poor with just three wins in 12 games. He has been beaten twice by his team in the league this season, losing one and drawing one in the domestic competition last season. He did win both legs of a Copa del Rey tie last season but this season Atletico got their cup revenge with an away draw and a home win to knock Real out. Atletico also won the Spanish Super Cup in August. The overall record is 12 played, three won, four drawn and five lost. The games are tight, usually low scoring and uncomfortably physical for Real who, Sergio Ramos and Pepe aside, are short of players who have quite the same appetite for a battle. Ancelotti may well pick both on Wednesday night, and a third centre back in Rafael Varane as he looks to match the visitors for force. If all three are picked Pepe would step into a midfield enforcer’s role that he has not occupied since the days of Jose Mourinho. Real Madrid have struggled against Atletico in recent years and were beaten 4-0 in La Liga in February . The headlines from Spanish publications AS and Marca on Wednesday focused on the huge derby game . The Champions League quarter-final first leg finished 0-0 after a physical game at the Vicente Calderon . There are seven players who a booking away from missing the first leg of the semi-final and German midfielder Toni Kroos, who is among them, has already lit the blue touch paper suggesting Atletico Madrid’s players are experts in pressuring the referee. The question of what will happen to Ancelotti if he loses has already been extensively debated in Madrid. It wouldn’t necessarily be the end of him but he would certainly have to overhaul Barcelona’s two point advantage in the league – winning nothing would be grounds for automatic dismissal regardless of the Champions League he delivered last season. At times this season his team has looked like surpassing the exploits of last year’s campaign – the run of 22 straight wins that also saw them crowned World Club champions in December in Malaysia was the stuff of future legend but the season collapsed in February and the bouquets for the Italian turned into brickbats overnight. Toni Kroos is a yellow card away from European suspension while Ancelotti has several players missing . The Italian coach watches his players, including Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) train in Madrid on Monday . Injuries played their part in the massive downturn. Sergio Ramos and Pepe were missing from defence and Luka Modric and James Rodriguez from midfield. Supporters bemoaned the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema should still have been able to carry the team to victories but that view did a huge disservice to the way Modric controls games, Rodriguez loads the bullets for the front three to fire, and Pepe and Ramos' pace enables the team to play ten yards higher up the pitch than when they are not available. Just when it seemed Real would be at full-strength for the run-in Modric has gone down with knee ligament trouble likely to rule him out for six weeks and Benzema, Bale and Marcelo are also all missing on Wednesday night. Ancelotti resisted the opportunity to get his excuses in early on Tuesday when he said he had the ‘best squad in the world’. He will hope that message of confidence inspires his players at the Bernabeu. And of course in among all the bad omens there is one exceptionally positive precedent: in Lisbon last May, Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 4-1 and lifted the European Cup. If Ancelotti and Real were to lose on Wednesday night then only La Liga glory would be enough to save his job . Cristiano Ronaldo struck in the Champions League final in a rare 4-1 victory for Real against their city rivals .
target: Real Madrid host Atletico in Champions League quarter-final second leg .
  First leg at Vicente Calderon finished 0-0 after physical encounter .
  Carlo Ancelotti reportedly spoke to Diego Simeone about life in Madrid .
  Italian boss told him life would be a lot easier if Atletico weren't around .
  Real must win at the Bernabeu to go through, and Ancelotti may not last .
  Winning nothing at Real Madrid results in an automatic dismissal .
  Galacticos are currently two points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona .
  Ancelotti has only won three times in 12 games against Simeone's Atletico .