Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction Arsenal welcome Atletico Madrid to the Emirates Stadium for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-final on Tuesday evening. The first leg ended 1-1 , leaving the tie firmly poised ahead of this clash. Match preview Arsenal head into this clash off the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Fulham , giving them a six-point buffer over Manchester City in the Premier League standings .
They will need a significantly improved performance to edge past the Rojiblancos. Arsenal were the better side in the first half at Atletico, but they could not sustain the momentum in the second period. The Gunners are expected to dominate possession in this fixture, but need to take more attacking risks to break down Atletico.
They need to avoid turnovers and maintain a compact shape without possession, given Atletico’s ability to play between the lines. Mikel Arteta’s side have won five and drawn one of their six home fixtures in the competition. They are considered favourites here.
Atletico, though with a much-changed side, won 2-0 at Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, putting them in good spirits ahead of this encounter. Diego Simeone’s side ended the first leg the better side and will be aiming to build on that performance. The visitors are expected to defend in numbers and use their athleticism to press the hosts.
They are likely to depend heavily on counterattacks. Atletico have to be more disciplined when defending, limiting Arsenal from getting into dangerous positions and silencing the home fans. They have lost three out of six away games in the competition, but secured a vital victory at Barcelona in the quarter-finals.