Here is our preview of Thursday’s UEFA Champions League clash between Atletico Madrid and RB Leipzig, including predicted lineups.
RB Leipzig dropped points for the first time this season at the weekend as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Union Berlin. Marco Rose’s men dominated possession, but couldn’t break the deadlock in a game that saw Lois Openda miss a penalty.
In general, though, Leipzig can be pleased with their start to the season, particularly their 3-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 2, which ended the German champions’ 35-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga.
Next up is a trip to the Spanish capital, where they will face an Atletico Madrid side that is unbeaten so far this season. Diego Simeone’s men are coming off a convincing 3-0 win over Valencia, which should give them plenty of confidence going into Thursday’s clash.
It was Leipzig, however, who drew the longest straw in the last (and only) meeting between the two sides. Die Roten Bullen beat Atletico 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2020 tournament, which was played over one leg due to the pandemic, before losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
Marco Rose’s side can also take pride from their performance in last season’s last-16 tie against eventual winners Real Madrid, although they lost 2-1 on aggregate.
In terms of personnel, Barrios (muscular) and Lemar (muscular) are out for Atletico, while Ouedraogo (knee) is unavailable for Leipzig.
Click here to see our predicted Atletico Madrid vs. RB Leipzig lineups.