Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund Preview: How to Watch, Team News, Key Battles & More
Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund meet at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday with the Spanish side seeking to avenge their heavy defeat in the reverse fixture two weeks ago.
A rampant Dortmund side won 4-0 at Signal Iduna Park thanks to goals from Axel Witsel, Jadon Sancho and a Raphaël Guerreiro brace, taking them three points clear at the top of Group A.
A draw will be enough to send Dortmund through to the last 16, while a win would see them advance as group winners. If Atletico win and the Monaco vs. Club Brugge match ends as a draw, both Dortmund and Atletico will qualify for the knockout stages.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of this intriguing encounter.
How to Watch
When is the Match? | Tuesday 6 November |
What Time is Kick Off? | 20:00 (BST) |
Where is it Played? | Wanda Metropolitano |
TV Channel/Live Stream? | BT Sport Extra 2 |
Referee? | Luís Godinho |
Team News
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Koke, Diego Godin and Diego Costa all missed Atletico's draw with Leganes because of injuries and their participation in Tuesday's match is questionable.
Godin has gastroenteritis and didn't train on Sunday, while Costa trained separately from the rest of the team as he recovers from a muscle strain. No updates have been provided on Koke, who was also experiencing muscular discomfort. On the plus side, José Giménez could return following a hamstring injury.
For Dortmund, Marcel Schmelzer is yet to recover from the ankle fracture which has kept him out of action since September. Abdou Diallo, who played in the first match two weeks ago, has since suffered a muscle tear and is also unavailable.
Mario Götze and Lukasz Piszczek have both travelled with the squad after missing out on Dortmund's last two games with injuries. Götze came down with bronchitis while Piszczek had a bruised knee. Both will be assessed before the game.
Predicted Lineups
Atletico Madrid | Oblak; Arias, Giménez, Hernández, Filipe Luis; Correa, Niguez, Rodri, Lemar; Griezmann, Kalinić. |
Borussia Dortmund | Bürki; Hakimi, Akanji, Zagadou, Guerreiro; Delaney, Witsel; Reus; Sancho, Alcácer, Larsen. |
Key Battles
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Few teams in the world possess the talent in wide areas that Dortmund can offer at the moment, as Atletico found out to their cost two weeks ago. Three of the goals came from wide players, while the first three were all assisted by another, Achraf Hakimi.
Hakimi, Jadon Sancho, Raphaël Guerreiro, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Christian Pulisic have 14 goals and 21 assists between them this season. Sancho will probably start ahead of Pulisic but either is a great option to have off the bench in the latter stages.
Juanfran bore the brunt of Dortmund's lethal left flank in the first match, so Simeone may go for Santiago Arias instead in the hope that his younger legs will stand a better chance. 33-year-old Filipe Luis could be in for a tough night against the in-form Sancho.
Recent Form
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Atletico Madrid's poor start to the season has not received the media attention reserved for their city rivals, but with just five wins from 11 league matches it has been one of the more testing periods of Diego Simeone's reign.
They have the best defence in La Liga once again, but goals have been hard to come by at the other end. Antoine Griezmann's goal against Leganes at the weekend was just his third in La Liga this season, while Diego Costa hasn't scored in any competition since September.
It's a different story for Dortmund, who barely qualified for the Champions League last season but have made a storming start under Lucien Favre. Still unbeaten in all competitions, they went four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with victory at Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Here's how each team has performed in their last five matches:
Atletico Madrid | Borussia Dortmund |
Leganes 1-1 Atletico Madrid (03/11) | Wolfsburg 0-1 Dortmund (03/11) |
Sant Andreu 0-1 Atletico Madrid (30/10) | Dortmund 3-2 Union Berlin (31/10) |
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad (27/10) | Dortmund 2-2 Hertha (27/10) |
Dortmund 4-0 Atletico Madrid (24/10) | Dortmund 4-0 Atletico Madrid (24/10) |
Villarreal 1-1 Atletico Madrid (20/10) | Stuttgart 0-4 Dortmund (20/10) |
Prediction
Form would point towards a Dortmund victory, particularly after their sensational result in the first match. 4-0 probably flattered them a bit though and they can expect a tougher examination on Tuesday.
Atletico are plagued by three key injuries, with Godin a particularly big miss at centre back. Dortmund have a few injuries of their own and given the circumstances, they would probably take a draw, which would consolidate their place at the top of Group A.
