The most important day of the year has arrived for Atlético de Madrid in their goal to reach the quarterfinals of this edition of the Champions League. The rojiblancos have had an almost perfect tournament in which they qualified among the top eight and were able to skip a preliminary round. Now, after losing by a narrow margin at Santiago Bernabéu (2-1), the colchonero team is eager to try to overturn that result and keep advancing.
Simeone already knows what it's like to come back from a situation similar to tonight's, although his eternal rival can be one of the most difficult to overcome. Among the most notable news is the possible line-up that the Argentine coach might use, as he has players who aren't at 100%. Yesterday, the rojiblancos held their last training session at the Metropolitano, although he didn't want to reveal any clues.
Rodrigo de Paul, a Key Piece
The Argentine international was substituted at halftime in the match against Getafe and trained with the starters in the gym last Monday. From the very beginning, at Atlético de Madrid there was no concern that he wouldn't be available tonight to start. He trained yesterday, and everything points to him being a starter in one of the most important matches the team can face.
[IMAGE]{543627}[/IMAGE]
Even without being at 100%, Rodrigo de Paul is an indisputable pillar in the engine room for the midfield to function at its best level on a demanding night. His partner would be Pablo Barrios, who replaced him last Sunday, being the duo that has given Simeone the best results this season. In defense, there is also another question to solve, as Clement Lenglet felt some discomfort that didn't allow him to be a starter in the last match.
A Partner for Josema Giménez
The Uruguayan center-back is the only one assured of a starting position against Real Madrid, but it remains to be seen who will be his partner in the center of defense. With everyone available, logic suggests that Clement Lenglet would be the one to start, but those physical problems leave it hanging in the air. At Getafe, Robin Le Normand was a starter, who seems to have not yet reached the good level he showed before his injury.
This Monday, the Frenchman was the only absence along with Koke, who is eager to return to the field, although he isn't ready. Not many surprises are expected in the line-up, although Javi Galán played the full 90 minutes at the Coliseum and was one of the most criticized in the first leg. He could be replaced by a César Azpilicueta who made the squad list and has been a solution for Simeone in critical moments.