Atletico Madrid vs Bayer Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League
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A meeting of the two teams when the group stage of the UEFA Champions League has reached its very end. So, this game takes Atletico Madrid to their Wanda Metropolitano for yet another day of pulsating action in front of raucous supporters this coming 21st January 2025. It turned into a must-win occasion-crucial points which would go either way that could probably seal one of them and their different desires to go ahead into this match.
Atlético Madrid come into the match having been shocked with a 1-0 La Liga defeat at Leganés, one which ended an incredible run of 15 games undefeated where they have been dominating not only on their own patch but everywhere else as well. While they would have been disappointed to lose, the Diego Simeone side will be looking to bounce back in front of their own crowd at home. Meanwhile, under the mentorship of Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen has been going great guns in the Bundesliga and would look towards continuing this good run in the Champions League.
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Atletico Madrid's European Aspirations
The Atletico Madrid team that has featured in the Champions League this campaign has been pretty inconsistent. Having played six matches, they lay 11th in the group with 12 points, just a point behind Lille, who occupy the last automatic qualification slot. Having won only two in the last six, Simeone's charges would be keen to avoid further setbacks, most specifically at home, where they are used to monstrous.
They have been sensational in La Liga, having lost none of their games so far, managing to get the chase up for the title. However, all that has not been reflected that well in Europe, and they still have to prove a lot in the rest of the group stage games.
The team are unbeaten against German clubs in European competition, winning 17 of 25 home matches with just three losses. Atletico's last European meeting with Leverkusen was a pulsating 2-2 draw in Madrid in the 2022-23 group stage and they will be confident of at least taking a point here.
He'll go with his strongest XI, but there are a couple of doubts through injury in this team: Gimenez through a muscular problem, Alexander Sorloth might not make it in, too. Most probably Marcos Llorente at right-back, then Griezmann on to start upfront alongside Julian Alvarez - they just gonna pray that is enough to win the match against Leverkusen.
Bayer Leverkusen's European Renaissance
Bayer Leverkusen are hugely confident for this tie, having finished Champions League group stage fourth in the standing on 13 points with four wins, one draw and a loss since they were among the surprise packages in Europe this term - netting 12 times and leaking just five. And under the head coach Xabi Alonso, some magic was happening since he came to the club, they do some amazing attacking football which was at their door in knockout qualification.
But Leverkusen has been even phenomenal in the Bundesliga, second on the table with just a four-point disadvantage against Bayern Munich. And given that it also came into this match with a run of 12 straight wins in all competitions, confidence must be sky-high for Leverkusen. The previous match-a 3-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach-just cements that rich vein of form.
History has not been an ally for Leverkusen when they travel to Spanish sides, however, with the Germans emerging victorious from just three of their last 21 such encounters in European competition. They have failed to make it through to the knockout stages in any of the last five campaigns - a stretch running back to the 2016-17 campaign. Thus, the match is going to be quite important for their ambitions to go further.
Leverkusen will also have a couple of injury concerns. Martin Terrier, Jeanuel Belocian, Victor Boniface and Amine Adli miss this match while some more names are under consideration. German side have seen a gold mine of midfielders in this season. Florian Wirtz has given 14 strikes and nine assists in 28 games so far. His creativity, his ability to make plays, is going to play a big role in how Leverkusen will break down the structure of Atletico's defense.
The other major player for Leverkusen who would be the main cause of the upset is Patrik Schick, who leads the scorers' list for the team this season with 16 goals. This deadly Czech striker in front of the goal will want to add his tally in the Champions League as well, having already scored once this term.
Tactical Analysis
Of course, Atletico Madrid under coach Diego Simeone are most known for solid defense and counter-attacking. Coach Simeone has managed to build a team from native Argentina that seemingly can't get broken down. With Jan Oblak between the sticks and strong center-backs in Le Normand and Lenglet, they surely would look to hold a shape that doesn't allow Leverkusen to come in that much.
That could be the kind of traveling speed from Julian Alvarez to go-to depth to find his way inside narrow spaces and find a route around Leverkusen's defensive lines. With Antonio Griezmann and Rodrigo De Paul being more creative for making passes, it would all click quite smoothly there with offense.
With Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen are more fluid and possession-based; he brings an attacking philosophy of playing with quick circulation and overload in the wide areas. Most of the important things in these attacking plays of Leverkusen come through the influence of Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo-basically providing width from the flank, trying to create chances.
Xhaka and Palacios will be up against each other in Central Park as both seek to ensure the team can transition fast from defense to attack. If Leverkusen manages to win the ball and press high against Atletico, then the latter might lose rhythm.
Key Battle: Midfield Control
This will be a game in midfield battle stepped up to the mark, with probably the industriousness of De Paul and Barrios's midfield to potentially push them into prominence while on the offensive. Still, on the balance in midfield, one would be well positioned with power takers in a typical strong midfield featuring stars like Xhaka and Palacios of Leverkusen.
Second balls won by Atletico and quick counters will be very important, too. All things considered, if Leverkusen can at all find some space in the middle of the park and let loose their dynamic attacking players, they would make life very complicated for the visitors.
Predictions and Conclusion
This is one of those matches that are very hard to call. Coupled with this was an excellent home record and a stubborn defense that wasn't easy for any team that went into the Wanda Metropolitano. Also, one couldn't snub the great form of Bayer Leverkusen both in the Bundesliga and Champions League. This would be a match that the German team would go into full of confidence, but they would have to change this poor record in Spain if they have to come out of Madrid with three points.
Having Atletico at home ground advantage, the pretty solid backline should be enough to hold this Leverkusen despite strong attacking power among the visitors. Predicted score: 1-1 with both teams taking a point that may prove crucial in their respective pursuits of qualification to the knockout rounds.
This game is and will forever be recorded in history as a big game for Simeone and Alonso, and surely they must be very well aware how crucially important it's going to be; hence, being more tactical whose team will feel the strain more: who controls and comes out victorious. While the result means a lot, so let us wait with bated anticipation for some electrifying actions to take place in that kind of action to the fullest end.
