Atletico Madrid and Manchester United will play their first round of 16 match of the ongoing UEFA Champions League season at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on Thursday (February 24) at 2 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Winning the first tie will give either team a competitive advantage over their opponent. Therefore, both teams will work hard to win the match. The second tie will take place at Old Trafford on March 15. Let’s take a look at the Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United match preview and team news.
Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd: Probable Team Lineups
Matheus Cunha of Atletico Madrid has been suffering from a knee injury and is uncertain for the match against Manchester United. The Spanish midfielder Koke is also doubtful for this encounter. However, Antoine Griezmann is expected to play in this contest.
Probable Playing XI (Atletico Madrid):
Jan Oblak (GK), Sime Vrsaljko (RB), Stefan Savic (CB), Josema Gimenez (CB), Reinildo (LB), Marcos Llorente (CM), Koke (CM), Geoffrey Kondogbia (CM), Rodrigo De Paul (CM), Luis Suarez (FW), Joao Felix (FW)
The Uruguayan forward for Manchester United, Edison Cavani has missed the club’s previous two matches due to injury, and rumors suggest he will also miss the trip to Madrid. Aside from him, Ivory Coast defender Eric Baily was sidelined, but he is expected to recover in time for the match.
Probable Playing XI (Man Utd)
David de Gea (GK), Diogo Dalot (RB), Raphael Varane (CB), Harry Maguire (CB), Alex Telles (LB), Bruno Fernandes (CM), Scott McTominay (CM), Paul Pogba (CM), Jadon Sancho (RF), Marcus Rashford (LF), Cristiano Ronaldo (FW)
Head-to-Head: Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid
Manchester United and Atletico Madrid have never met in the Champions League. They have met twice in the European Cup Winners’ Cup. Atletico Madrid triumphed 3-0 at home in the first leg, and Manchester United earned a 1-1 draw in the return game. Manchester United have three Champions League championships, whilst Atletico Madrid have never won the competition. However, Atletico Madrid have recently been in two UCL finals, in 2014 and 2016.
Man Utd vs Atletico Madrid Match prediction
Atletico Madrid have lost to FC Barcelona and Levante in recent league games, but they have also won at home against Valencia. But, they haven’t been playing to their best capacity recently, which might be a concern against Manchester United. Atletico Madrid may opt for a 4-3-3 system since they have Suarez, Felix, Carrasco, and Griezmann in their offensive arsenal. Atletico Madrid’s midfielders can scare United’s defense if they can seize control of the midfield.
Manchester United, like Atletico Madrid, have been in poor form recently. They have won their last two league games, defeating Brighton and Leeds United, which will boost their confidence ahead of their showdown against Atletico Madrid. Cristiano Ronaldo has mostly been played as a lone striker upfront this season. This strategy may be used against Atletico Madrid because Ronaldo has rich experience in the Spanish La Liga. Manchester United could line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Atletico Madrid because they often use two defensive midfielders to bolster their midfield.
Prediction:
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Manchester United
Verdict
Atletico Madrid have some talented attacking players, but their domestic season hasn’t gone well so far. On the other hand, Manchester United finished first in their group in the group stage, although they have struggled in domestic competitions. Both teams have lately failed to maintain their momentum. Manchester United have won two of their previous five matches, while Atletico Madrid have won three of their last five. Failing to keep consistency could be a problem for them, that’s why predicting the outcome of the Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United first round of 16 ties will be difficult. However, since Atletico Madrid will be hosting the match, they may start as slight favorites.
Source: United News of Bangladesh