Two formidable teams are set to clash in the UEFA Champions League as Atletico Madrid face off against Lazio in what promises to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams have a rich history in European football, and this match is expected to be an actual test of skill, tactics, and determination.
Atletico Madrid has been blowing hot this season, a different style by the same Diego Simeone, and the results have been excellent. The Rojiblancos won two of their opening three games before the international break.
The season opener was against Granada, ending in a 3-1 win for the Rojiblancos. Alvaro Morata, Memphis Depay, and Marcos Llorente got on the scoresheet. It finished goalless in the season’s second game against the European competition hopefuls Real Betis.
The Spanish giants have a reputation for their solid defense and relentless attacking style. Under the guidance of their experienced manager, Simeone, Atletico Madrid has consistently been a force to be reckoned with in domestic and European competitions. After last season’s setback, they will achieve great things this term.
The Madrid side reached seventh heaven just before the international break, putting seven past Rayo Vallecano in one of their biggest wins in recent history. Antoine Griezmann, Correa, Depay, and Molina all got among the goals in the one-sided contest.
However, they suffered a humbling 3-0 defeat at the hands of Valencia on Saturday. After that defeat at Mestalla, the Madrid side turned things around and started racking up some great wins.
One of those wins came against rivals Real Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano as they scored three headers to put Los Blancos to the sword.
Other teams they defeated in that six-game winning run include Real Sociedad, Feyenoord, and Celta Vigo. Atletico then played a 2-2 draw against Celtic in the UEFA Champions before beating Alaves at home in La Liga to move closer to the teams at the top.
Given what they have shown across all boards this season, one cannot look past Simeone’s men in a game like this. The first leg ended dramatically when Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel scored a late equalizer at Stadio Olimpico to deny the Spanish side a win.
As for Lazio, another name for them has been inconsistency. They started the season on a losing note at Lecce. At Stadio Olimpico for the first home game of the season, Lazio slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Genoa – a game they dominated for significant periods.
However, the first win and performance of the season so far came against champions Napoli in Naples, as they unexpectedly walked away with all three points. After that win and the international break, they lost 3-1 to Juventus in Turin.
The Madrid side won just one of their next three Serie A games before embarking on three consecutive wins – a 2-1 win at Celtic and wins over Sassuolo and Atalanta in the league.
Maurizio Sarri’s men lost to Feyenoord in Holland in their third UCL group game to put their qualification hopes in the balance.
In total, they have met six times across all competitions; Lazio has a solitary win, Atletico Madrid has three wins, and two matches have ended in a draw. Historically, it shows that the Madrid side has dominated the fixture in the past, and that could be the case again on Wednesday.
Football fans can expect an exciting contest filled with skill, passion, and moments of brilliance as these two European giants battle it out for a coveted spot in the next round of the UEFA Champions League.
Match Tickets
The match at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid kicks off on Wednesday, 13th December, at 9 PM UK time, and it will be shown live on TNT Sports, with coverage starting from around 8 PM.
Atletico Madrid has been excellent in this competition and will be hoping for success when they host the Italians at their 71,000-capacity stadium. As for the visiting Lazio fans, they should have a good time and hope things favor them in the end.
Given the game’s standard, getting tickets for Atletico Madrid vs Lazio tickets should be easy. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expected to be sold out on each club’s channels.
Team News
Line-ups
Atletico does have several players missing due to various kinds of injury for them. Reinaldo, Samuel Lino, Thomas Lemar, and Vitolo are long-term absentees for the side. At the same time, striker Memphis Depay has been battling a thigh problem for a while now. Former Udinese midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has returned since missing the first leg between the two teams and could play a crucial part in this match.
- Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Azpilicueta, Savic, Witsel, Hermoso, Riquelme; Llorente, Barrios, De Paul; Morata, Griezmann.
Lazio does have a clean bill of health. The Likes of Felipe Anderson, Ciro Immobile, and Luis Alberto are expected to start this crucial match. The trio above are expected to be supported by Pedro and Kamada as they hope to return to achieve their goal as the group stages end.
- SS Lazio: Provedel; Marusic, Casale, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Kamada, Cataldi, Luis Alberto; Felipe Anderson, Immobile, Zaccagni.
Prediction
As of the time of writing this piece, Alvaro Morata has scored nine goals in 12 appearances in all competitions for Atletico Madrid this season. Griezman has been enjoying his football, too, contributing nine goals in 13 appearances.
Lazio have conceded in every UCL game on the road this season, while Atletico Madrid have scored in all but one of their games in all competitions. So, it should be a game with several goals, and the Madrid side could emerge as the winners by full-time.
- Atletico 2-1 SS Lazio
