UCL: Manchester United vs Atlético Madrid Match Preview And Prediction 15/03/2022
With the tie finely poised at 1-1, Manchester United welcome Atletico Madrid to Old Trafford on Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash.
Three weeks ago, Joao Felix gave Atletico the lead after just seven minutes before Anthony Elanga scored a vital equaliser on 80 minutes. Although the Spanish champions racked up 13 shots to Man Utd’s seven, the English side dominated possession – enjoying 63% of the ball.
United head into the second leg on the back of a dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday. Cristiano Ronaldo netted a sublime hat-trick to seal all three points for his team, proving that age is just a number following his 37th birthday last month.
Not only have Man Utd lost one of their last ten Premier League games, but they have also lost just two of their previous 17 – picking up nine wins and six draws along the way. That said, Ralf Rangnick’s men have only managed to win one of their past four games in all competitions and were crushed 4-1 by Manchester City the weekend before last.
Atletico claimed a 2-1 win against Cadiz last time out – meaning they head into Tuesday’s clash on a three-match winning streak. When you look at the bigger picture, Atletico are also enjoying a five-game unbeaten run. They have recorded four wins and a draw since their last loss.
Although Atletico’s La Liga title defense is all but over, they should secure Champions League football for next season after winning each of their last four league outings. It is also worth noting that Diego Simeone’s men are the second-highest scorers in Spain’s top tier, having netted 52 goals in 28 games.
Head-to-head: Man Utd and Atletico have played only three competitive matches over the years. Interestingly, the Spaniards remain unbeaten in this fixture. The teams faced each other in the UEFA European Cup Winners Cup all the way back in 1991, with Atletico winning 4-1 on aggregate on that occasion.
Team News: There are question marks over the fitness of Man Utd trio Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes ahead of the second leg.
As for Atletico, their lengthy injury list includes Daniel Wass, Koke, Mario Hermoso, Stefan Savic, Angel Correa and Thomas Lemar.
With a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League at stake, both sides are expected to throw everything at the second leg.
