Athletico Madrid will be looking for their first win when they host Feyenoord in the Champions League. Atleti have won all three of their league games since narrowly losing to Lazio. The Dutch have extended their own winning streak to six games after defeating Celtic.
Preview (Atletico Madrid vs. Feyenoord)
Atletico Madrid’s hopes of beginning their 2023–24 European campaign with three points were destroyed by a 94th-minute equalizer at Stadio Olimpico, and they will always be regarded as the victims of a legendary Champions League incident. Last month, Diego Simeone’s team had a lead over Lazio thanks to a goal from Pablo Barrios. However, the hosts’ goalkeeper Ivan Provedel rose like a salmon. He headed the ball past his counterpart Jan Oblak to save a point for the Biancocelesti.
Atletico has only triumphed in two of their last eleven group-stage games in the Champions League. Their response to this setback has been admirable. Five days later, they defeated their arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-1 in La Liga. Subsequent wins over Osasuna and Cadiz have moved them up to fourth place in their domestic standings. Simeone presided over a rare group-stage elimination last year. He is under pressure to avoid slipping down into the Europa League this season. He is well aware that a few more missteps can be forgiven in a tough division. The Argentine coach cannot see losing at home to Eredivisie competition this week.
Simeone will be looking for his players to display the same passion they did on Sunday. The pressure is off Feyenoord heading into their second Group E match, in contrast to their hosts at Madrid’s Metropolitano, after Calvin Stengs and Alireza Jahanbakhsh both scored on their Champions League debuts in a 2-0 win over Celtic last month. The Dutch champions have already triumphed in as many of their past two matches in the top club competition in Europe as they had in their previous 20.
Team News
Alvaro Morata, who served a suspension against Cadiz, will be available for Atletico coach Diego Simeone. The Spain striker should replace Angel Correa despite the latter scoring a brace at the weekend. Atleti will be missing Pablo Barrios, Thomas Lemar, Caglar Soyuncu, and Reinildo, although Rodrigo De Paul. Former PSV player Memphis Depay will now be hoping to recuperate in time to play against Feyenoord. Antoine Griezmann has been directly involved in 26 goals in 32 Champions League home games. He is at least one sure starter in attack. Rodrigo Riquelme, Javi Galan, and Samuel Lino are all vying for the left flank start once more.
Croatian forward Luka Ivanusec is out after suffering an injury against Celtic last month and is not expected to play on Wednesday. Timon Wellenreuther fills in once more as Justin Bijlow, the starter, joins him on the bench. Atletico Madrid must make a change soon or they run the risk of losing their second consecutive group encounter because they have only won one of their previous 11 home Champions League games while drawing on no fewer than seven occasions. Due to the suspension of brave Feyenoord’s star striker, a window of opportunity has opened up for Simeone’s team to win by the odd goal in three.
Athletico Madrid 2 – 1 Feyenoord
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