Atletico Madrid welcomes defending (European) Champions Liverpool at the Wanda Metropolitan Stadium for the first leg of the Champions League match.
The Spanish giants have done well in this competition reaching three European Champions League final twice as well as three Europe league finals in the last decade but they have won one of their last seven matches in all competitions.
The Spanish side lost two out of their six matches in the group stages of this season’s Champions League but managed to finish second behind Italian giants Juventus to make it to the knock out stages.
The match against Liverpool will be only the second time these two teams have met in the UEFA Champions League in Madrid.
The previous meeting between these two sides (Atletico Madrid and Liverpool) ended in a 1-1 draw in October 2008.
Here Liverpoolcore.com looks at how Atletico Madrid could line up against Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool side.
Out: Diego Costa (neck), Kieran Trippier (groin), Joao Felix (muscle).
Doubtful: Hector Herrera (muscle)
Atletico Madrid received a huge fitness boost when they travel to play Valencia on Friday when Alvaro Morata came off the bench having recovered from a muscular problem.
The Spanish forward should now lead the line for the Madrid side with forwards Diego Costa and Joao Felix not available for this fixture. Costa may have recovered from a neck operation while been pictured in
training recently. However, the former Chelsea ace will not be involved in this contest. Key central defender Jose Gimenez was on the bench against Valencia in the 2-2 draw on Friday after recovering from injury and should return
to the Atletico first team (XI).
English defender Kieran Tripper will also be unavailable following groin surgery.
Santiago Arias also played in Atletico Madrid’s last match against Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium (Estadio De Mestalla) having recovered from an adductor problem and the full-back may well start again due to Kieran Tripper’s absence.
Angel Correa and Vitolo are also expected to start in Atletico XI, even as Marcos Llorente’s display at the Valencia Stadium on Friday might have put the midfielder in contention for a start.
Atletico Madrid Vs Liverpool: How Atletico Madrid Could Line Up Against Liverpool
Jan Oblak; Santiago Arias; Stefan Savic, Jose Gimenez, Renan Rodi; Saul Niguez, Thomas Partey, Koke, Vitolo, Alvaro Morata, Angel Correa.
