Benfica look to build on their solid start to this year’s Champions League campaign in Spain tomorrow.
Rui Vitória’s men take on the team who came so close to winning this competition in Benfica’s home stadium two years ago, Atletico Madrid.
La Liga expert David Cartlidge brings us the lowdown on Diego Simeone’s formidable team, as well as giving us an update on how Portugal international Tiago is performing and how ex FC Porto striker Jackson Martínez is settling in at the Vicente Calderón.
1. Current form. How have Atletico looked form-wise in recent weeks?
Since the season started they’ve lost on just the two occasions, against Barcelona and most recently to Villarreal. The latter was a less than ideal warm-up for for the game against Benfica, with Atleti showing little creativity. Otherwise, they’ve looked very promising, playing some nice football and assuming defensive solidity as always.
2. Ones to watch - Who are Atletico's star players?
Antoine Griezmann has continued on from his excellent debut season, and is once again showing he’s on his way to becoming a top star in European football. Griezmann’s integral to the team play, but also finishing off moves.
3. Strong points/weak points – what must Benfica beware of and what can they exploit?
Atleti’s strongest point is their ability to control games, move them in a direction to which they can control. They showed this against Galatasaray in the opener, how they can enter even a hostile environment, but keep focus on their own game. Diego Simeone too, is a strong point. He’s excellent at judging these European games.
From a weak point, Atleti can at times seem flat when moving forward. They are struggling to find creativity at times, and aren’t really cutting open teams at will. They are selecting their moments. There is also the issue of new players still bedding in, so now is a decent time to catch them off guard.
4. Formation and playing style – what system do Atletico usually play? Would you describe them generically as an attacking or a defensive team?
Atleti switch between a 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. They are quite balanced, absolutely, and look to pass the ball along the ground this season. Defensively they’re excellent though, so obviously you could say they lean that way in terms of approach. They will counter with vigour however.
5. What are the expectations as regards Atletico's participation in the Champions League this season? Having come so close two seasons ago and seemingly strengthened well in the summer, do they consider themselves genuine candidates to win it all?
I think they’d be kidding themselves if they feel they have enough to win it. They will go out to upset the odds, cause a surprise, be a thorn in the side of the big boys. I think a quarter-final berth would be acceptable, semi-final would be excellent.
6. Mood in the camp – judging by player/coach quotes regarding this game, do you think Atletico go into the match in a confident frame of mind?
Very confident. The Villarreal result was a disappointment and they immediately want to react. Simeone simply wouldn’t let them have it any other way. Confidence is high, and anything less than three points would be disappointing.
7. Tiago watch. How has the Portuguese midfielder been playing this season? While we're at it, what's the verdict so far on ex FC Porto goal machine Jackson Martínez?
Tiago’s the same as always since joining Atleti, and that’s excellent. He’s certainly improved with age, becoming a better player and more wiser on the field. He’s a good support mechanism for the team, and provides plenty of balance. He gets forward still too, which hasn’t at all declined in his game.
Jackson meanwhile has struggled since signing. The fans are still behind him, and so is Simeone of course, but there are clear issues. It’s a whole new system for Jackson to take in, and he’s struggling to adapt in places. His touch for instance, has been poor, and he often gives up possession. He’s not really able to stretch defences too, and that’s another issue. It’s a case of being patient here.
8. What do you think the result of the match will be?
Atleti to win this 2-0 I believe.
Our thanks to David Cartlidge for sharing his expertise. For more from David follow him on Twitter @davidjaca.
