Atletico Madrid's Marcos Llorente fights for the ball with Osasuna's Juan Cruz (right) during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Osasuna and Atletico de Madrid, at El Sadar stadium, in Pamplona, northern Spain, Feb 19, 2022. (ALVARO BARRIENTOS / AP)
MADRID - Atletico Madrid entertain Manchester United in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday night.
The game comes after both sides produced important wins at the weekend to lift doubts after questionable runs of form. Atletico Madrid won 3-0 away to Osasuna, while Manchester United enjoyed a 4-2 win away to Leeds United.
Atletico Madrid have been struggling to find the competitive edge that has made them so tough to beat in recent years and that has even started a debate over whether or not Diego Simeone could be thinking about drawing the curtain down on his time in charge after 10 seasons at the club
Atletico have been struggling to find the competitive edge that has made them so tough to beat in recent years and that has even started a debate over whether or not Diego Simeone could be thinking about drawing the curtain down on his time in charge after 10 seasons at the club.
Simeone's side will be without the suspended Yannick Carrasco for the game, while striker Mathias Cunha, who has helped give more aggression in attack, is sidelined with a knee injury.
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That could see Renan Lodi given a role as a wing back on the left of a five-man Atletico defense, with Sime Vrsaljko or Marcos Llorente playing on the right. Antoine Griezmann could also play some role in the game, after returning from injury as an unused substitute at the weekend.
Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt (left) duels for the ball with Manchester United's Scott McTominay during the English Premier League soccer match between Leeds United and Manchester United, at Elland Road Stadium in Leeds, England, Feb 20, 2022. (JON SUPER / AP)
The big attraction for the game is Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Madrid as a Manchester United player and the former Real Madrid man can be assured of a hostile reception in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
United's goalkeeper David de Gea may get a different reception when he returns to face his boyhood club, who he left to move to Old Trafford in 2011, although the keeper made it clear where his heart lies now.
"I've been here (Man Utd) for many years and, obviously, anything can happen in life, in the world of football, but honestly I don't see myself away from Manchester United. Of course, I'm going back home, I'm going back to the club that gave me the opportunity to be who I am today. But this is just another match. Everyone wants to play well, we want to win, it is a Champions League match."
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"Obviously, I wish Atletico all the best, but I don't know whether the fact we're playing them is a good or bad omen. Everyone is going there to win, especially me," said the keeper in an interview with Sky Sports.
Questions can be asked about Manchester United's defending at times this season, but the fact that Atletico have lost their last four Champions League games against English clubs will give the visitors hope of taking a good result back to Old Trafford.