Atletico Madrid will aim to secure their place in the Champions League knockout rounds when they face Red Bull Salzburg in Austria on Wednesday.
Unlike the visitors, Salzburg have already been eliminated, with only pride left to play for after collecting just three points from their seven group-stage matches.
Match Preview:
Salzburg entered this season’s Champions League with hopes of reaching the knockout stages for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign, where they made it to the last 16.
However, their aspirations have faltered, as they have suffered six losses in the group phase, leaving them in 34th place, well out of contention for the top 24.
Their campaign began disastrously with three straight defeats by a combined 9-0 scoreline, before a 3-1 victory over Feyenoord gave them a glimmer of hope.
Yet, losses to Bayer Leverkusen and PSG, including a 3-0 defeat at home to the French side, sealed their elimination.
After the PSG defeat, Salzburg parted ways with Pep Lijnders, and Thomas Letsch took over.
His tenure began with a tough 5-1 loss to Real Madrid, leaving Salzburg with little to play for other than finishing their campaign on a positive note.
They will look to register their first home win of the group stage, though doing so against a strong Atletico side will be a significant challenge.
Salzburg has not won their last three Champions League encounters with Spanish teams, dating back to a victory over Sevilla in December 2021.
Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, has already secured at least a spot in the knockout rounds, having won five of their seven group-stage matches and sitting in fifth place, with a two-point buffer to the teams outside the top eight.
However, Atletico’s momentum was stalled by a 1-1 draw at home to Villarreal, allowing Real Madrid to extend their lead in La Liga.
Despite this setback, Atletico will be confident heading into their final group-stage match, especially given their strong recent record in Austria, where they have won their last four European away matches, scoring nine goals and conceding only twice.
Team News:
Salzburg will be without key players due to injury. Karim Konate and Maurits Kjaergaard are sidelined with knee and ankle injuries, while left-back Daouda Guindo is also doubtful after missing the defeat to Real Madrid with a knee issue.
New signings Maximiliano Caufriez and Karim Onisiwo are unavailable, as they are not registered for the Champions League.
For Atletico, the news is mixed. Javi Galan is set to miss up to four weeks with an ankle injury, while Pablo Barrios will be suspended after his red card against Leverkusen.
However, defender Clement Lenglet returns to the squad after serving a suspension.
Alexander Sorloth, recently recovered from injury, is expected to feature as a substitute.
While Salzburg’s hopes for advancement were dashed long ago, they will still be eager to end their Champions League campaign on a high note.
However, Atletico Madrid’s superior form and experience in Europe make them the favorites to come away with all three points.
With a spot in the knockout rounds already in their grasp, Simeone’s side will be focused on finishing strong to secure their position and build momentum for the next stage.
Predicted Lineups:
Red Bull Salzburg: Blaswich, Dedic, Baidoo, Blank, Terzic, Yeo, Bidstrup, Capaldo, Gloukh, Daghim, Nene
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Molina, Le Normand, Azpilicueta; Simeone, Koke, De Paul, Lino; Griezmann, Lino
