Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool Predictions & Match Preview

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool predictions and match preview for Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as Liverpool head to the Wanda Metropolitano.

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool Preview

Atletico Madrid and Liverpool are reunited on Tuesday, two seasons on from a memorable UEFA Champions League knockout round clash between the sides. Atleti won both legs of that tie with Marcos Llorente’s Extra Time heroics at Anfield decisive in securing a memorable success.

On paper, this is now a stronger Atletico Madrid than the one that won that tie. They’ve since won the Spanish title and have added considerably more attacking quality to their ranks, including former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. He should start here against his old club having finally broken his European goal drought with a 97th minute penalty to clinch victory at the San Siro for Diego Simeone’s side on MD2. Having been held at home by Porto in their opening game, that was a much needed win over Milan in what is a very tough group.

Atleti went into the international break with an impressive 2-0 win over Barcelona with Suarez and the increasingly impressive Thomas Lemar on target. They certainly look strong candidates to defend their league title but Atleti will come into this game with something of a point to prove after a tame exit from last season’s Champions League against English opposition in the form of eventual winners Chelsea.

Liverpool laid down something of marker heading into this game by thrashing Watford 5-0 in the Premier League at the weekend at Vicarage Road. They are looking more like the side that won the 2018/19 Champions League at the Wanda Metropolitano and then romped to the English title the following season. They should be at or very close to full strength here and Atleti will need to forge a plan to combat Mo Salah, a player Jurgen Klopp described as the world’s best following another star showing at the weekend.

Liverpool are unbeaten so far this season and they’ve made a really good start in this group, beating Milan 3-2 at home before hammering Porto 5-1 in Portugal. The Reds will still regard this as their toughest test of the group and it’ll be interesting to see just how much respect they are willing to give Atleti. A point would still firmly keep Liverpool on course for qualification but they could make a real statement of intent by coming to the Spanish capital and winning.

Head to Head

• Atleti won both legs of a Champions League Last 16 tie in 2019, although only won the 2nd Leg 3-2 following Extra Time at Anfield.
• The most recent meetings prior to that came in the Europa League Semi-Finals in 2009/10.
• Atleti advanced on away goals, winning 1-0 at home but losing 2-1 away.

Team News

Stefan Savic is suspended for the hosts. Jose Gimenez is injured while Marcos Llorente is a doubt.

Fabinho and Alisson didn’t feature at the weekend but are available here having flown directly to Spain following international duty. Thiago is out injured while Curtis Jones is a doubt.

Predicted Atletico Madrid Starting Lineup:

Oblak – Hermoso, Kondogbia, Felipe – Carrasco, Koke, Llorente, Lemar, Trippier – Felix, Suarez (3-5-2)

Predicted Liverpool Starting Lineup:

Alisson – Robertson, Van Dijk, Matip, Alexander-Arnold – Milner, Fabinho, Henderson – Mane, Firmino, Salah (4-3-3)

Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool Predictions

Score Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1-2 Liverpool

This promises to be a fiercely competitive game. Atletico Madrid showed when Liverpool last visited that they still have the defensive qualities to thwart even the most talented of attacking sides and there is no danger of them throwing too much caution to the wind here. However with two of their first choice defenders missing, you worry that Liverpool’s front three may have too much for Atleti on the night.

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