Atlético plays Europe in an authentic ‘final’ in Do Dragao

After two consecutive blows suffered in the last second against Bayer Leverkusen and Cádiz, Atlético de Madrid is playing for continuity in Europe on Tuesday in a real ‘final’. The present and future of Diego Pablo Simeone’s team, although Leverkusen-Bruges is also pending, go through Do Dragao against Porto. The reigning champion of Portugal is already qualified for the round of 16 of the top competition, but he still aspires to first place and wants revenge after being eliminated by the rojiblancos in their stadium on the last day last season (1-3).

Atlético also beat Porto almost two months ago at the Metropolitano on matchday one of this edition of the Champions League (2-1, thanks to a goal from Griezmann in the 101′), in what was the only victory for the mattress makers in the Old Continent this course. This Tuesday he will surely be forced to the second, since although to guarantee at least the Europa League it will be worth doing the same as Leverkusen does, the victory of the Germans in their stadium against the Belgians is taken for granted. Therefore, Atlético can only play to win at Do Dragao and avoid a failure even greater than that of the Champions League, in this case never known in the Simeone era. Since the Argentine has been in charge of Atlético for more than a decade, the rojiblancos have never said goodbye to Europe at the first opportunity, after only playing in the group stage.

When Atlético fell in the 2017-2018 Champions League, they clung to the Europa League and won the second continental title, as happened previously in 2009-2010 with Quique Sánchez Flores on the bench. Now, with Simeone in the trigger, more questionable than ever, the objective of ensuring relegation to the Europa League is mandatory, after having lost prestige and around 20 million euros for his premature goodbye in the Champions League. The conquest of the Europa League would alleviate in part that sporting and economic setback, but that is still a long way off and it is not realistic to think about it when, in such an unreliable football and emotional situation, the anxious Atlético has 90 minutes left to, since It’s up to him to finally respond in a vital match and not crash in Do Dragao.

Without Morata, Joao Felix

CWhen the rojiblancos are still ruminating the tremendous blow received by the incredible and cruel end of the fifth day after the missed penalty by Carrasco with the time expired against Leverkusen and they have not recovered from the defeat in the last play of the match against Cádiz , this duel of such great importance arrives, that Atlético could face without Álvaro Morata, although he entered the call this Monday. The team’s top scorer in the League – tied with Griezmann on five goals – has not scored a single goal in this Champions League, although Atlético have only managed four this season in Europe.

Porto has already reached ten, thanks to the last goals scored by the team led by Sergio Conceiçao against Leverkusen (0-3) and Bruges (0-4). Victim of an edema in his right ankle after a stomp against Cádiz, if confirmed, Morata’s absence could open the door to Joao Félix’s ownership after the Portuguese has been a substitute in the last eight games.

Increasingly distant from Cholo, for the former Benfica striker, Porto’s great rival, this duel should be his opportunity to take a real step forward and vindicate himself, when war drums resound between the young Portuguese footballer and the coach, in the pillory for its continuous changes of line-ups and systems and its usual conservatism. His players are also confused and in a dangerous losing dynamic. For Atlético, this clash would have to mean a turning point. Do Dragao will dictate justice.