Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City. Prediction and Preview. Probable Lineups, Team News, Stats and more
Atletico Madrid will host Manchester City at the Wanda Metropolitano in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg. The match will take place on March 14, beginning at 00:30 IST.
The term “anti-football” is the most appropriate way to describe Atletico’s performance in the first leg of the quarter-final. Even the diplomatic Pep Guardiola joked about the 5-5-0 tactic, and all the statistical portals reported the first time in the history of the Champions League play-offs that the team had not managed a single shot per game.
Most likely, the experienced Diego Simeone had to sacrifice the spectacle of the game to implement his ingenious plan already on home ground, where the Citizens will not be as strong, which sounds reasonable. The “concede as little as possible away” tactic seems a cold calculation, given that the away goal rule has been abolished.
“If he won here, he wouldn’t have been criticised, managers are only criticised if they lose. He’s given Atletico a decade of success, he’s not done things badly. We get praise when we win, when we lose it’s terrible. I think my answer was clear.”
Guardiola advocates for his counterpart.
So what did the Spanish boys come up with? Can they stop Manchester City on their way to the coveted trophy?
Parimatchnews will tell you everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming match.
Atletico Madrid News & Current Form:
Many experts suggest City are clear favourites, but it is unlikely that this match in particular will be dominated by the Citizens. No one is arguably better than Diego Simeone at setting his side up for a decisive battle. And that is exactly what will happen at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atlético have already shown that they do not care about parallel affairs – they lost unexpectedly to Mallorca in the Spanish championship. It is clear that all thoughts and resources are focused only on City.
Simeone confirmed after the game that the team acted clearly in line with his plan – only to defend. And it almost worked, at least Atlético managed to keep the intrigue alive before the return leg.
In their current form and selection of players, Atlético are certainly no rivals for City, but at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola’s fiery attack was virtually extinguished – the goal came from a very rare moment. At the Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid will no longer be so humble, and Joao Felix, Luiz Suárez and Antoine Griezmann know how to put the ball into the net. Let’s not forget the killer standards that have helped Diego Simeone’s team more than once in the Champions League play-offs.
Injuries: Hector Herrera, Jose Gimenez.
Don`t miss out 👉: Mallorca shocks Atletico Madrid, Barcelona survives Levante scare
Manchester City News & Current Form:
Manchester City have a challenging eight days (5 to 13 April). During this time, Josep Guardiola’s team are set to play three very difficult and important games – twice against Atletico Madrid and once against Liverpool in the battle for the EPL gold medal. Two games have already been played: they minimally outplayed the Mattresses on home soil and drew against Liverpool (2:2). The only remaining act is the trip to Madrid, which will decide the fate of the Champions League semi-final tickets.
Speaking of the first leg, Manchester City cannot be called a model of outstanding display either – yes, Guardiola’s team dominated, but it is very easy to do so without opposing attacking resistance. To destroy their opponents on the scoreline by dominating, however, is another level that was beyond the reach of the Citizens. The score and the media headlines should not confuse you.
The match against Liverpool should give City fans hope though, because despite the draw, Pep’s team played beautifully against one of the best teams in Europe. Unlike Atletico, who lost to an underdog, City had real chances to beat Liverpool in the title game – the Mancunians are clearly in a better position ahead of the encounter for the semis.
The important thing for Guardiola is not to invent a unique tactics. For many years now, even in the easiest of situations, he has failed due to nerves and too exotic a game plan. Although Pep has admitted the problem this year, the story could get a sequel. Who knows what he will come up with under the impression of zero shots on target from the opposition? But if nothing terrible happens and City do come to play their best football, he will certainly score a goal as a minimum.
Injuries: Ruben Dias, Cole Palmer.
Don`t miss out 👉: Manchester City maintains a one-point lead over Liverpool and more agony for Manchester United
Atletico Madrid season form guide (all competitions): W-W-W-W-L-L
Manchester City season form guide (all competitions): D-D-W-W-W-D
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City Head-To-Head Record:
| Atletico Madrid | Draw | Manchester City |
| 0 | 0 | 1 |
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City Predicted XI:
Atletico Madrid Predicted XI (3-5-2): Jan Oblak; Stefan Savic, Felipe, Reinildo Mandava; Marcos Llorente, Rodrigo De Paul, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Koke, Yannick Carrasco; Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix
Manchester City Predicted XI (4-3-3): Ederson Moraes; Joao Cancelo, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Kyle Walker; Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne; Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling
Statistical preview of the match Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City:
- Eight of Atletico Madrid’s 10 previous home games in the Champions League have ended with a match total under 2.5.
- Atletico’s winless 7-match streak at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Eurocups stretches back to 2020.
- Guardiola’s side have won 14 of their last 21 away games in Europe.
- In their last game away from Manchester, the citizens beat Sporting CP 5-0, a result that took them to 5 consecutive Champions League wins away from home.
- After three consecutive quarter-final exits, City overcame that barrier last year. Atletico have not reached the semi-finals since the 2016/17 season.
- Manchester City are unbeaten in their last nine games.
What has been said before the match:
“We’re up against a team that plays very well. A very good positional game, but we’re hopeful. It’s clear that hope alone isn’t enough, but we’re going to try to take the game where we can hurt them. Words don’t say much, the important thing is what happens after nine o’clock at night. It is clear that we are not going to stray too far from what we believe. Hopefully we can have
“Yes we can be better. It will be slightly different there than it was in Manchester. There will be moments we will have to be ready to defend. They are so intense. They have incredible support for the team and manager. We need to create chances. We know Atletico Madrid in the knockout stage is so, so difficult. We will try. We travel with a sure result and intention to win the game. We try to see what the score is in the last five, ten minutes. It will be different from the first because they are at home and create momentum with their own game and the passion of their fans and the history they have.”
“There will be moments when they are aggressive and create problems. We have to play our game. We have done these years. You have to finish with 11 in the knockout stages. The message will not for one second be different to what we have done all the time.”
“Be careful in situations, defend well. Control the transitions which are really good. All the stuff we prepared – we need to do it as well as possible.”
“I trust the players a lot. I know how it works, this world. Things change up and down, positive and negative. But we travel there to win the game. That’s what we have to do.”
Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City Prediction:
It’s a very difficult match to predict, so we will pick the riskiest but most logical option – a draw that is somewhat similar to City’s last game against Liverpool. Atletico are an incredibly dangerous side in the play-offs, and even though City are stronger on paper, Guardiola’s side won’t be taking big risks in Madrid. A draw is fine for the Citizens and Atletico are unwilling to lose at home. Simeone’s team are very unstable, but experienced. They will accumulate and burst all the available resources for this match.
Parimatch News staff prediction:
We say: the match result Draw – Yes.