This time, defence alone won’t be enough to keep Atletico Madrid alive in the Champions League.
Diego Simeone’s team need its attack to wake up if it wants to overcome the 0-1 first-leg loss to Manchester City in the quarter-final second leg of the Champions League on Wednesday.
Atletico were held scoreless and managed a total of one shot on target in its last two matches. To reach its first Champions League semi-finals since 2017, Atletico need its stars to step up when Man City visit. Joao Felix, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez have combined to score only four goals since early March—two by Felix and two by Suárez in the same Spanish League game. Matheus Cunha and Angel Correa, the other Atletico forwards also haven’t scored since February.
Struggling Felix
Other than the double against bottom-placed Alaves on April 2, Felix is scoreless in six matches in all competitions. Suarez, 35, hasn’t found the net since February 19. The Uruguay striker was key for Atletico in its Spanish League title-winning campaign last year, but has played a reduced role this campaign.
Griezmann, 31, has been struggling the most, though, with no goals in nine consecutive matches in a scoreless streak that dates back to a Copa del Rey match in January. The France forward returned to Atletico this season after a lackluster stint with Barcelona.
Simeone rested Felix against Mallorca on Saturday and started with Suarez and Griezmann in attack, but they struggled in a 0-1 loss that leaves them fourth in the league standings with seven rounds to go and in danger of not securing a Champions League spot next season. Atletico had only one shot on target against relegation-threatened Mallorca and none in the first leg against Man City.
Disappointing home record
Besides offensive struggles, Atletico’s recent home record in European competitions also has been disappointing. They haven’t won in their last six home games in the Champions League, with four draws and two losses. They lost to Liverpool and AC Milan this season, with draws against Porto in the group stage and Manchester United in the first leg of the Round of 16.
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