Manchester United and Atletico Madrid need to do well here – their seasons are completely reliant on it. The Professor meets Cholo, Ronaldo comes up against his favourite side and I’ve likened a football approach to deep-frying and sauce basting…it’s all happening here, and you wouldn’t want to miss out.
UEFA Champions League
Tuesday 15 March
Old Trafford
22:00
To Win (90 mins)
Manchester United 21/20 | Draw 9/4 | Atletico Madrid 11/4
To Qualify
Manchester United 5/10 | Atletico Madrid 14/10
Manchester United
As ridiculous as this may seem, United are slowly but surely getting to a point where they may need a seriously – and rather surprising – positive effort in this competition, if they want to be a part of it next season.
A lot has been made of Manchester United recently, questions have once again flared up around their identity, style of play as well as the leadership of the club. I don’t think United currently have a style of play and I completely agree with the sentiments which suggest that they need to ‘go through some pain’ to find it once again.
Ralf Rangnick is not the answer to the coaching issues at that football club, he’s best work is done behind the scenes and not in the dugout. His credibility and reputation are currently being dragged through the mud and for what? What is the reward at the end of all of this?
I could speak to you about the recent positives, the run of unbeaten games before City and more structured defensive system United have seemingly put in place. The aggressive approach to winning back the ball and pace with which United transition the ball from defence to attack. Yes, players like Fred, Ronaldo and Paul Pogba are often the scapegoats to greater issues…but at the end of the day even the recent successes are just a means to an end.
The first half against Manchester City was full of positives, United matched City for large portions of that game and made it incredibly difficult for City to build-up their play or go through the lines. However, it’s also just as clear that all of this is merely a stopgap for the immediate future.
From a betting perspective, it can become profitable to include the Red Devils in all bets. The quality they undeniably possess in their squad means you can never just count them out…but consequently, their run of form might be reason for a slightly inflated price.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid come into this game in much better form than the first leg. Diego Simeone’s side have once again found their proverbial mojo – albeit when playing at home!
Atleti on the road have been largely inconsistent. Their approach to games is quite frankly deep-fried in defensive suffocation and basted with attacking quality…strange analogy but I’m sticking with it.
Their approach to this game will be interesting though, do they try and attack a wounded Manchester United? Do they suffocate the game and look to grind out the odd result, inviting the Old Trafford crowd to either get behind their team or add pressure to their own chargers by virtue of their frustration?
The team they have put together was evidently done so with this in mind and so whilst this might not be a popular opinion – every season they fail to win the Champions League is yet another season falling short of their priority targets!
Simeone is a master at in-game coaching, he will know that his side need to be incredibly physical out of possession and yet fickle in possession. That sort of Spaniard approach (and I say that with the greatest amount of respect) of drawing fouls, milking the contact, and then placing the referee under immense pressure will certainly play a massive role here.
And yet, whilst saying all of this, we cannot deny the quality that Atletico truly have in their squad. Gimenez and Renan Lodi showed what an incredible impact they can have on a football match when these sides met in the Spanish capital city. Joao Felix began heralding in a change of guard showing up his Portuguese maestro and mentor. And Simeone could have still called on the likes of Griezmann and Luis Suarez to have a bigger effect on the game!
This is a massive game for both clubs, one that will go a long way in determining the look and feel around their season. Whether we like that or not, we better accept it.
Prediction: Manchester United To Qualify (5/10)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Manchester United possess a quality that is amongst the very best in the world now. No, they are not perfect and are way off where they want to be. However, this is a once off game and an opportunity to progress in a competition which I cannot remember when the ‘favourites’ or ‘best team in the competition’ has won!
