Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid
UEFA Champions League
Date: Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: Old Trafford.
When Manchester United and Atletico Madrid meet at Old Trafford this week, they will be battling for a place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
This week, the remaining UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg matches will be played, with the action starting on Tuesday night.
Atletico Madrid, the La Liga winners, visit Manchester United at Old Trafford in a tie that is evenly poised after the first leg in Spain concluded in a 1-1 draw.
The Red Devils needed a late equalizer from youngster Anthony Elanga to keep them in the game.
Following that game, Manchester United failed to win their next two Premier League matches, first drawing with Watford and then getting thrashed by Manchester City.
Ralf Rangnick’s side, on the other hand, got back on track this weekend, beating Tottenham 3-2 thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance.
They’ll be trying to continue their winning streak in Tuesday’s match.
Since the opening leg against Manchester United, Atletico Madrid has won all three of their matches.
Los Rojiblancos have won games against Celta Vigo, Real Betis, and Cadiz, setting up an intriguing top-four showdown with Barcelona in La Liga.
Diego Simeone’s team will be buoyed by their recent form, and they will be optimistic of earning a solid result at Old Trafford to advance to the next round.
Manchester United’s strike at the Wanda Metropolitano has no added value now that the away-goal rule has been eliminated.
With everything on the line for both teams at Old Trafford, The Hard Tackle takes a deeper look at the match.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Head to head :
- Atleti have a 100% unbeaten record against this rival.
- These two had clashed in the Second Round of UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup 1992, and then the Spaniards progressed to the next round with a 4-1 aggregate scorecard.
- The Devils lost against Villarreal (from La Liga) in the Europa League Final of last season.
- Atleti had recorded a 2-3 win at Anfield in 2020, to eliminate Liverpool from the Champions League.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid Prediction :
Manchester United may have won a crucial match against Tottenham Hotspur over the weekend, but they were still underwhelming and had to rely on Cristiano Ronaldo’s brilliance to save them.
The Portuguese international has a stellar record against Tuesday’s opponents, but they had managed to silence him in the first leg in Madrid earlier this season.
Furthermore, Atletico Madrid has momentum on their side, having won four of their last five games in all competitions.
So, despite the fact that Old Trafford will be rocking on Tuesday night, the odds favor the visitors.
It’ll be another close match, but The Hard Tackle forecasts Diego Simeone’s team will win by a single goal and knock United out of the competition.
Manchester United vs Atletico Team News :
Due to a club suspension, Man United will be without Mason Greenwood once more, but Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, and Scott McTominay might all return.
Fernandes and Shaw were both out against Tottenham due to COVID-19, but both have returned to training ahead of the encounter; McTominay should also be able to overcome the calf ailment that prompted him to miss Saturday’s late kickoff.
Rangnick will have to make huge selections all over the field; Ronaldo will lead the line, while Jadon Sancho is a sure starter in an offensive area; yet, with McTominay’s return, Paul Pogba might be moved to the left, with Fernandes acting behind the centre-forward.
Diogo Dalot is slated to start at right-back against Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof, while Marcus Rashford is expected to be on the bench for the visitors.
Atletico will be without Yannick Carrasco due to suspension, while Matheus Cunha, Daniel Wass, Sime Vrsaljko, and Thomas Lemar are all injured.
Mario Hermoso, Geoffrey Kondogbia, and Jose Gimenez were all seen as major injury concerns, but all three have been selected in the traveling squad and are expected to participate.
In the meantime, Koke made a welcome return to the league on Friday, and the Spaniard is poised to start at Old Trafford.
Simeone has a lot of decisions to make in the coming weeks, and Angel Correa might start alongside Felix, with Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez on the bench.
Meanwhile, Marcos Llorente is expected to play as the right-sided wing-back, with Rodrigo De Paul working in the centre of the field with Koke and Hector Herrera.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Telles; Fred, McTominay; Sancho, Fernandes, Pogba; Ronaldo
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Savic, Felipe, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul, Koke, Herrera, Lodi; Felix, Correa
