Champions: Atletico and Valencia: one of lime and one of sand | Champions League 2019

Atltico and Valencia open, in a big way, the return of the Champions League against two teams that play very different roles.

Liverpool favorite

Finalist of the last two editions, this year he commanded the Premier as a hammer: 76 points out of 78. He has only missed a draw in 26 days and leads 25 points a second. The long-awaited title of Premier (not winning the league since 1990) can not escape and just need to confirm the date. It could be April 4 … in the City field.

Lately he is not being as bright as in autumn, but the winning dynamic makes him win the winner of any complicated situation. Just had a break of 15 days, new this year in England. Klopp He has been so firm in keeping it that he presented the subsidiary team to play an unexpected replay of FA Cup. The rest has allowed him to recover from a slight physical problem. Man, one of the few injured this season in a team that barely rotates.

In January, I incorporated the Japanese from Salzburg Minamino, another offensive midfielder who along with the Lallana, Keita, Shaqiri Y Origi they complete the workforce, since their trident is immovable above. In his initial eleven there are only two doubts: the central team accompanying Van dijk and four midfielders for three positions: Fabinho, Henderson, Milner Y Wijnaldum.

Atalanta, the surprise

It is the great unknown. He has managed to reach the qualifiers in his debut in the competition and after a disastrous start, with three straight losses and only one point in four days. But Dinamo Zagreb and Shakhtar Donetsk left him alive, defeating both of them in the last two days (very worthy of his 0-3 in Ukraine) and he ended up qualifying behind the City.

It arrives well after scoring 5-0 to Milan, 0-7 to Torino, drawing at home (deserving to win) against Inter or tracing in the field of Fiorentina. Slovenian midfielder Ilicic (32 years) is his most fit player, with 10 goals in the last 9 games. With his 3-4-3, he is a brave, offensive team. He is the most scorer in Italy (2.62 on average) but also grants much to the rival. Apart from Ilicic, they also highlight the veteran Argentine midfielder Papu Gmez or the Colombian striker Duvn Shoe, but also others less known as Pasalic, Gosens, Freuler, De Roon or Muriel (12 goals being often substitute).