ATLETICO MADRID – BAYER LEVERKUSEN | Wednesday 9pm
On one point there is little argument: Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, against Leverkusen, are forced to win if they want to play their chances of staying in this Champions League on the final day. An identical path, at least at this early stage, to last year’s for the Colchoneros, when only in the last 90 minutes did they gain access to the round of 16. In a different era, a match like this would have had little to tell and little to write about, with Cholo’s clearly favoured team also having an easy time getting the better of a Leverkusen team in a crisis of play and results and who have already changed coach, relying on Xabi Alonso. But, as mentioned, not all that glitters is gold, and even in the first leg the Germans managed to get the full spoils.
Of course, between league and cup the Spaniards haven’t lost for five games. And last weekend in La Liga they beat Betis at home, not the last to arrive. But it is in Europe that the Madrid players are having big problems where they have only won one game, the one against Porto on their debut, which came well after the 90th minute. What is needed, in short, is an immediate change of gear. And the feeling is that this could really happen against Leverkusen, who have lost three in their last five, even taking five goals from Frankfurt a fortnight ago. In short, despite everything, Atletico should be able to take three very important points.
Xabi Alonso, new Bayer Leverkusen coach
The prediction
Atletico need the three points. And these should also come to put things right from the first leg, when Bayer Leverkusen managed to win the game in the final.
Atletico Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen likely line-ups
- ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Savić, Giménez, Reinildo; Correa, Kondogbia, Witsel, Saúl Ñíguez; Griezmann, Morata.
- BAYER LEVERKUSEN (3-4-3): Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Hincapie; Adli, Aránguiz, Demirbay, Bakker; Diaby, Hudson-Odoi; Schick.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-0
