Atletico Madrid v Liverpool Team News
Sadio Mane is set to return to the Liverpool starting line-up when the holders take on Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.
The Reds return to the scene of last season’s European final success when they face Atletico in the first leg of the knockout stages at their Wanda Metropolitana home on Tuesday, hoping for a similar outcome to the 2-0 defeat of Spurs in June.
Mane, who had missed two league games with a hamstring injury, was on the bench at Norwich on Saturday and came on in the second half to score the decisive goal to maintain Liverpool’s stunning Premier League run of wins.
Attention now switches to the Champions League as Jurgen Klopp’s side take on the Spaniards aiming to maintain their multiple trophy bid this season.
The German boss has no new fresh injury problems for the game in the Spanish capital.
🔴🔴 MATCHDAY 🔴🔴 @Atleti (A) ⚽️ Back in @ChampionsLeague action tonight 💪 pic.twitter.com/FLOGnG6iDr
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) February 18, 2020
Only Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and Nathaniel Clyne (knee) remain absent from his senior squad and the six-time winners are unlikely to make too many changes to the side that won narrowly at Carrow Road.
Other than Mane coming in, probably for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Naby Keita, Fabinho could earn a recall in midfield, while James Milner is another option after he also recovered from a recent hamstring injury.
Klopp told the Liverpool website when asked about the state of the squad: “Good, exactly the same. All on board and available, cool.”
Atletico are boosted by the return to fitness of former Chelsea striker Diego Costa, who trained with his team-mates on Monday and could feature after recovering from back surgery in November.
Alvaro Morata and Jose Gimenez are both available again after recent injuries but summer signing Joao Felix is absent through illness, while former Tottenham full-back Kieran Trippier is on the sidelines with a groin strain
Diego Simeone’s side, who made the 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals under the Argentinian, sit fourth in Spain, 13 points adrift of La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
