Atletico Madrid – AS Roma: Mission must win

(Baonghean.vn) - Welcoming AS Roma at home, the mission of coach Simeone and his team is nothing other than to win all 3 points. Only then will the hope of winning a ticket to the knockout round be rekindled.

After 4 matches in Group C, Atletico Madrid has only won 3 points and is temporarily ranked 3rd. The gap with the 2 teams above, Chelsea and AS Roma, is 4 and 5 points respectively. If they do not defeat their direct opponent from Italy in this match, the team at Wanda Metropolitano will be officially eliminated in the group stage (Chelsea is unlikely to lose at Karabakh in the match at the same time). On the contrary, if they win against AS Roma, Atletico Madrid will have a life-and-death battle with Chelsea in the final match to compete for the remaining spot in Group C.

The first leg between the two teams ended with a score of 0-0. Photo: Internet

The task for Griezmann and his teammates is not easy, especially in the reception of AS Roma at 2:45 a.m. on November 23 (Vietnam time). Theoretically, Atletico Madrid is rated slightly higher than its opponent. In addition to the advantage of playing at home at Wanda Metropolitano, coach Simeona and his team also have more experience than their opponents in the Champions League arena. In 2/4 of the most recent seasons (2013/2014, 2015/2016), Atletico Madrid reached the final (both lost to Real Madrid). Since coach Simeone took charge, the Rojiblancos have never been eliminated in the group stage.

That advantage alone is not enough to help Atletico Madrid win against AS Roma. The current form of Griezmann and his teammates is worth discussing. Not to mention the unimpressive performances in the domestic league (La Liga), but just in the Champions League arena is enough to show the incompetence of coach Simeone and his team. 2 disappointing draws against the weakest opponent in the group, Karabakh, are enough to show Atletico Madrid's poor form. With such a pale face, what can the Wanda Metropolitano home team use to defeat AS Roma?

In a must-win situation, the attack is the most disappointing line of Atletico Madrid at the moment. The brightest star Griezmann is in a terrible decline with rumors related to Barcelona, ​​Man Utd. Besides, Carrasco, Correa, Gameiro, Torres... are not much better. What does coach Simeone rely on to break through the net of the team from Italy? Don't forget, Atletico Madrid under the reign of the strategist nicknamed El Cholo has never been highly regarded for its attacking style of play.

Star Griezmann is in decline. Photo: Internet

Against a team in high form like AS Roma, Atletico Madrid's chances of winning are extremely slim. The team led by coach Di Francesco is having a good time. In Serie A, AS Roma is in 4th place with 30 points, 5 points behind the leading team Napoli but has played 1 less match (AS Roma has only played 12 matches). In the last round, Dzeko and his teammates defeated rivals Lazio in the Roma derby. Traveling to Spain, coach Di Francesco and his team are in high spirits.

Looking at the way AS Roma defeated Chelsea in the previous match (3-0), not many people believe Atletico Madrid is capable of defeating the Italian team. But the above evidence is only for reference. In a cornered situation, coach Simeone and his team are still extremely dangerous opponents. Perhaps, 3 points will remain with the home team Wanda Metropolitano./.

Thanh Hung