Atlético de Madrid is faced with a historic opportunity (follow the game live on As.com). This three games away from winning their first Champions League. After playing three finals, the colchoneros feel that history owes them a Champions League and that this special edition, with the final at 8 in Lisbon, is ideal to get a cup that they caressed and he lost dramatically in the 1974, 2014 and 2016 finals. The objective is to resume the dynamics, spirit and power with which he won his last Champions League game at Anfield to continue on the road to The first.
RB Leipzig does not has the pedigree of Atlético. Only has nine years of history and it is a team assembled at the stroke of a checkbook. But he also faces the same historic opportunity to win his first Champions. Atlético, with Simeone at the helm, has more experience in the competition, but it turns out that Cholo's specialty is to prepare Round-trip knockouts, 180-minute crashes, and in this new format a single match is played.
The other duel: Simeone vs Nagelsmann
Of the many differences between Atlético and RB Leipzig, the main one is on the bench. Diego Pablo Simeone is an experienced coach and Julian Nagelsmann is a very young coach. The difference in experience and style is evident and marks a priori what the match can be. Both technicians work on the basis of 1-4-4-2 system, but Simeone handles fewer variants than Nagelsmann about that drawing. The german coach modify the scheme at least four times on average in each match and use the 1-4-3-1-2, the 1-3-4-1-2 and the 1-5-3-2. Team dynamics are not predictable. The germans They carry without competing more days than Atlético. It can be expected that the rojiblancos will start the match with more rhythm and speed in the game.
The duel on the benches will be interesting. Nagelsmann is more interventionist than Simeone and retouches permanently details minimum performance of the team during the game. He Cholo It is more traditional there and it's hard to make changes in his game model, which has paid off these years, but now, with the players he has, he can alternate in the game and manage various plans.
Llorente in point; Morata and João Félix wait their turn
He RB Leizpig occupies very good he terrain across (an average of 52 meters) and it is a short team (it is collected in a medium block in about 33 meters). He Start of the game does it almost always in short and his progression in the game is very vertical. He Athletic has the opportunity to press you up and steal the ball at the start of the game. It will be one of the options that Simeone explores, in addition to planting the team in the middle block.
In the games played after confinement, the great squad that Atlético has has been proven. The five substitutions have ruled out that it was a transition year and have discovered footballers of great quality and category. The irruption of Marcos Llorente forward has been a success. The Madrid midfielder did not believe it when Cholo told him. “I'm going to put you forward.” AND Marcos laughed, thinking he was joking. Today Marcos will play as a forward again and relegate João Félix on the bench, Being the Menino de Ouro a revulsive option throughout the game, as they will be Vitolo and Morata. The Cholo has stayed without Correa's bullet, who remains in Madrid for positive in COVID-19.
Without Werner, but with Dani Olmo
RB Leipzig have lost a goal with the sale of Timo Werner to Chelsea. The transfer was made this summer and the German forward will not play in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The Spanish Angeliño and Dani Olmo have been among the most outstanding in the resumption of the Bundesliga. Dani Olmo faces the game with extra motivation. The Spanish international is going to give everything so that RB Leipzig passes and to show that it was an Atlético mistake not to sign him a year ago when everything was closed.
The Leipzig sponsor's slogan says it gives you wings (“Red Bull gives you wings!). The Champions League gives wings to Atlético And, after winning at Anfield on that magical night before lockdown, earned the right to dream again of being champion. Tonight take the road to The first.