Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool preview

Team news, stats and prediction as Liverpool travel to Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Team news

Striker Diego Costa has handed Atletico Madrid a timely boost ahead of their Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Liverpool on Tuesday. Costa trained with his teammates on Monday and could feature after recovering from back surgery in November.

Alvaro Morata and Jose Gimenez returned to the squad during a 2-2 draw with Valencia on Friday, with the striker playing for the last 25 minutes. Defender Gimenez was an unused substitute.

However, summer signing Joao Felix and former Tottenham full-back Kieran Trippier are set to miss out for Atletico.

Liverpool have a nearly fully fit squad to choose from, with Xherdan Shaqiri set to be the only senior player to miss out alongside long-term absentee Nathaniel Clyne.

January signing Takumi Minamino has been named in the travelling squad along with young goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

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• The head-to-head between Atlético Madrid and Liverpool in Europe is perfectly balanced with one win each and two draws (4 goals each). However, Atlético eliminated Liverpool in their only knockout tie, it was in the 2009/10 Europa League semi-finals, a tournament Atlético won, beating Fulham 2-1 in the final.
• Atlético Madrid and Liverpool's only previous Champions League encounters came in the 2008/09 group stages - both games ended 1-1.
• Liverpool are winless in their last five away games against Spanish opposition in Europe, losing four (D1). Their last victory dates back to the Champions League round of 16 in 2008/09, against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu (1-0).
• Liverpool have always progressed against Spanish opposition in a two-legged Champions League tie (3/3): 2-2 on away goals v Barcelona (2006/07 round of 16), 5-0 on aggregate v Real Madrid (2008/09 round of 16), 4-3 v Barcelona (2018/19 semi-finals).
• Liverpool's only previous competitive match at the Wanda Metropolitano was last season's Champions League final against Tottenham - Jürgen Klopp's men won 2-0.
• Since 2013/14, Atlético Madrid have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League six times in seven seasons; they had qualified for the k/o stages only twice previously (from 1992/93 to 2012/13).
• Liverpool have never won three consecutive away Champions League games, having beaten Genk and FC Red Bull Salzburg on MD3 and MD6 respectively; they last did so in the European Cup back in September 1984 under manager Joe Fagan (five in a row).
• Atlético Madrid have never lost at home under Diego Simeone in the Champions League knockout stages (W8 D4). In those 12 games, they've only conceded two goals.

Charlie Nicholas' prediction

This is a cracking tie. You could see at the weekend that the efficient Liverpool was there again. They were very classy at times, and other times they got the balance and grind right where they can take the sting out of the game. They were not quite as clinical but just wanted to get the job done.

I am finding it tough to pick the Player of the Year this season. My early tip was Sadio Mane. You could see the boost it gave them coming off the bench on Saturday, and no other player in his side could have scored that. His movement and agility allowed him to do that. Others would have been more vigilant of what was happening off the ball. Do all the players have to be from Liverpool? I have mentioned others, but it is the greatness of where they are.

Atletico Madrid are nowhere near the team they were. Despite Diego Simeone still being in charge, the goalscoring, commitment and quality have all dipped. They have lost the likes of Diego Godin and the authority he brought to the team. They do have the same aggression, but they are struggling in La Liga. In all honesty, the two giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have been average, which tells you everything. Atletico have drawn 10 of 24 games, which is simply not good enough. Diego Costa has dried up in front of goal, while Alvaro Morata has gone cold once again.

This is the game where Simeone will roll his sleeves up and warn his players of reputation; the reputation of turning over the future Premier League champions, but this is an awkward tie for Liverpool. Atletico's personality is awkward, but I am going to go for Liverpool to get a draw. It will be brutal but it will be a great result for Liverpool going back to Anfield.

CHARLIE PREDICTS: 0-0 (15/2 with Sky Bet)

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