Atletico Madrid will appear to take a large step toward qualification for that knockout phase with the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday once they face Astana of Kazakhstan into their fourth group-stage match.
Diego Simeone's team took six points from nine thus far, including a dominant 4-0 make an impression on the same opposition on Matchday 3, so another win would wear them the verge in the last 16. The manager is taken nothing as a given, though, so when reported through the club's Twitter feed, he's got pinpointed this as being a must-win fixture.
Atletico are usually in good form for much from the campaign but dropped two points on Friday which has a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna after dominating the 1st half but sitting off inside the second. It's a variation of play within their performances that was seen many times; sometimes such as against Sevilla and Real Sociedad, it paid with counter-attacking goals to seal the match, but against Depor and Villarreal, Atleti were not able to get going again after conceding.
Simeone, per FourFourTwo, admitted his players ought to continue playing higher up the pitch, defensively and also beginning their attacks, several out on the side's major talents.
If Simeone takes anything from the initial match against Astana, it will likely be that his side can come up apart the Kazakhs and quickly go through their defence. The impressive chance creation from the reverse game will deliver Atleti confidence they are able to again make points and must also give Simeone the fact attack is the better way to approach the overall game—in collection of personnel around tactics.
The Teams
Astana realistically know require a victory in this particular match when to have any unexpected hope of qualification, not only with the last 16 on the Champions League but also the Europa League from the new year. That would come which has a third-place finish inside group, though only one point from three games until now, it is an upward struggle for your Kazakh side.
A defeat at home with this match will leave them needing results against both Galatasaray and Benfica, barring an entire collapse in the Turkish side of their last three matches.
Atletico Madrid are joint-top on the table with Benfica and can expect for taking a big step toward securing qualification with three points after comprehensively beating Astana last time out. A nine-point haul from four matches will dsicover Atleti on the verge with the last 16 once again, however the slip-up at your home to Benfica means the Portuguese club stay edged ahead determined by head-to-head results if they please take a win in your house to Galatasaray.
Team News
Astana haven't any plans to change either approach or team structure, with manager Stanimir Stoilov saying his team has merely one way of playing, per FourFourTwo.
Saturday saw them win 1-0 in the home to Irtysh, their fifth straight victory domestically.
As for Atleti, while a victory would be an enormous step toward qualification, it will be no surprise to view Diego Simeone rotate an abundance of his star names. The long journey, artificial surface and winnable run of Liga matches on the agenda could see him protect certain players and provides others the ability to impress.
A large squad has travelled with the game but isn't going to include Luciano Vietto, who recently returned from appendicitis. Angel Correa can also be not included.
Possible Lineups
Astana (4-1-4-1): Nenad Eric; Branko Ilic, Evgeni Postnikov, Marin Anicic, Dmitri Shomko; Roger Canas; Bauyrzhan Dzholchiyev, Georgi Zhukov, Nemanja Maksimovic, Foxi Kethevoama; Junior Kabananga.
Atletico (4-4-2): Jan Oblak; Jesus Gamez, Stefan Savic, Diego Godin, Guilherme Siqueira; Oliver, Gabi, Saul, Yannick Carrasco; Fernando Torres, Antoine Griezmann.
Player to Watch: Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico should win the experience, naturally, but following a defensive error cost them a win inside their last game, they'll have to firstly get them to tight in the dust this time out—usually commonplace feature with their play. Diego Godin is not as dominant while he can be this term, so browse him becoming a leader within an important match.
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UEFA Champions League
