This weekend's matchday has produced plenty of revealing results that show how each team is approaching the long-awaited return of the Champions League this week. The big European clubs will fight to get the hang of the new format and win 'La Orejona' at the Allianz Arena at the end of the season. With the opening round being almost as important as the knockout rounds, everyone is sharpening their knives to be ready for next week's big European event.
Atlético de Madrid returns to the Champions League next week with the desire and hope of being among the greats of Europe . The colchoneros will face RB Leipzig next Thursday at the Metropolitano , where, a priori, they should get the three points without too many complications. Monitoring the performance of their rivals to know how each one is doing, Atlético is aware of the delicate state of form of the German team.
A diminished Leipzig lands in Madrid
The Germans were unable to go beyond a goalless draw against a clearly inferior opponent like Ronnow in their match yesterday. Leipzig arrives at Atlético de Madrid 's stadium, one of the most difficult in the world, quite shaken by this setback in the Bundesliga . The German team knows that it will need to give 100% to beat Simeon 's men and that they need to improve many things in their game.
Atlético , meanwhile, will face Valencia today, an 'easy' opponent in terms of momentum, being the only team in LaLiga not to have scored points. The 'chés' come to Atlético 's ground wanting to turn their situation around, something that the red-and-whites will not make easy for them tonight. With the obligation to add the three points at home tonight, Atlético wants to impose its law at the Metropolitano once again.
An impregnable stadium
The Metropolitano was a real fortress last year, synonymous with victory for Atlético in almost all of its matches. The imposing Colchonero stadium was rarely conquered, with home wins being the norm for most of the year. At the expense of being able to maintain this good dynamic at home, Atlético wants to take advantage of the support of its unwavering fans to stay on the winning path.
The 12th player
If there is one thing that Atlético de Madrid can boast about, it is having a fan base that is more than devoted to their team every weekend. The Atlético fans push the team in every game, being the fuel of a team that would not be understood without its spectacular fans. Knowing that they will never fail, Atlético hopes to be able to return that affection to its fans in the form of good results.