Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction

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Reigning Spanish champions Atletico Madrid host Manchester United in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday evening.

Atletico have desperately struggled to recapture the form that propelled them to the title, and are instead focussed on simply finishing in the top four.

Manchester United have similar ambitions after early season title talk faded in Autumn.

Here’s all you need to know about this mouth-watering tie.

When is kick off? Wednesday 23 February, 20:00 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? Wanda Metropolitano
TV channel/live stream? BT Sport 2 (UK), Paramount+, TUDN (US), DAZN (Canada)
Highlights? BT Sport YouTube channel
Referee? Ovidiu Hategan
VAR? Massimiliano Irrati

Yannick CarrascoYannick Carrasco

Yannick Carrasco was sent off in his last Champions League outing, ruling him out of the visit of Manchester United / Octavio Passos/GettyImages

Atletico have amassed a competition-high three red cards in this season’s Champions League, the latest of which has earned Yannick Carrasco a suspension for this game.

Several COVID-enforced absences have peppered Simeone’s squad recently, with Thomas Lemar’s involvement this midweek in doubt after he missed Saturday’s victory against Osasuna following a close contact with a positive case.

Simeone can also expect to be without captain and midfielder Koke, who has been diagnosed with a thigh injury after that Osasuna game.

Antoine Griezmann was back on the bench for the first time since early January, though didn’t get on the pitch. His fellow forward Matheus Cunha sat out with a torsion in his right knee according to the club. Daniel Wass is also sidelined with a knee injury.

Edinson CavaniEdinson Cavani

Edinson Cavani has missed Manchester United’s last three matches through fitness concerns / James Gill – Danehouse/GettyImages

Manchester United emerged from a fast and furious match against Leeds United on Sunday seemingly unscathed and with three points.

Nemanja Matic and Raphael Varane returned to the bench, with the latter recovering from a stomach issue to see out the final few minutes. However, Edinson Cavani remains hampered by a groin injury. An issue which third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton is also suffering from.

Between them, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United have reached the final of Europe’s premier club competition on eight separate occasions. Yet, the pair have never met in the Champions League, or its predecessor the European Cup.

In fact, the only competitive meetings between these sides took place in the now defunct (but sorely missed) European Cup Winners‘ Cup. As defending champions in 1991, Manchester United were knocked out in the second round by Atletico; losing 3-0 in Madrid before a 1-1 draw on English soil.

Neither side have exactly performed to the lofty levels (and financial heft) that their fans demand this season. Atletico – as a prime example – lost their last home match to Levante, rooted to the foot of La Liga.

Moreover, Atletico haven’t won any of their last six Champions League home matches (D3 L3), last beating RB Salzburg at the Wanda in October 2020.

Manchester United have hardly undergone a dramatic revolution during Rangnick’s brief tenure – supposedly made smoother by a kind fixture list – but may be in marginally better shape than their volatile hosts.

Prediction: Atletico 1-1 Manchester United