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Match Preview & Prediction
The Spanish capital plays host to a vital Champions League clash in Group B as both Atlético Madrid and Bayer 04 Leverkusen are in desperate need of a three-point haul to have any chance of reaching the knockout stage.
Leverkusen ran out 2-0 at the Bay Arena when these two met on matchday two when Gerardo Seoane was still in charge of the Bundesliga outfit, and it was the only win that the German club has managed in the group stage. Now under Xabi Alonso, the new manager bump that Leverkusen received was short-lived after their 4-0 win over FC Schalke 04, and have since then only taken one point from a possible six in the league while suffering a heavy 3-0 defeat against FC Porto on matchday four.
🙌 Good news from the pitch: Florian #Wirtz took part in team training again for the first time after his injury. 💪⚫️🔴#Bayer04 I #Werkself pic.twitter.com/3uw7LYqJ4f
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) October 25, 2022
By contrast, Simeone’s Atléti outfit is in strong form on the domestic front and comes into proceedings on the back of a 4-1-0 recent record in La Liga and remains, as ever, one of the tougher outfits to find the back of the net against. Their 0-0 draw at home against shock group leaders Club Brugge was the only time the Belgian outfit were denied three points in group play, but Atléti have struggled in a big way for goals thus far in the Champions League and the same can be said for Leverkusen.
At the very least for the Madrid outfit, just Sergio Reguilón misses out on selection through injury but Xabi Alonso must contend with continued selection issues as the Spanish headmaster will be without Florian Wirtz, Karim Bellarabi, Patrik Schick, Exequiel Palacios, Sardar Azmoun, and Charles Aránguiz.
🎙 Simeone
❝I feel that the team is growing and I like that❞. pic.twitter.com/V5VuxTZEJn
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) October 25, 2022
All things considered, a narrow home win for the Spanish side seems a good play.
Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1-0 Bayer Leverkusen
