Arsenal will be taking on Atletico Madrid at Emirates Stadium in London. This much awaited UEFA Champions League match will be played on Tuesday, 21st of October, 2014. The match is set to kick off at 8pm local time (19:00 GMT), drawing attention from football fans worldwide. Both teams are hungry to pick up some very important points. They are hellbent on succeeding in one of Europe’s most illustrious tournaments.
Arsenal, managed by their long-serving boss Arsene Wenger, have been in scintillating form of late, winning their last five matches in all appearances. Indeed as things stand, they would lead the Premier League table by three points at this juncture. This will be an important match for our team, but they’ll face adversity going into it. Key players Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz are out with injury. Their absence is likely to severely curtail Arsenal’s attacking threat. A 12th straight home game in the group or league stage of the UEFA Champions League without allowing a goal would be a feat on which they’re aiming.
Team Condition and Key Players
Atletico Madrid come to London, though, with plenty of issues of their own. Managed by Diego Simeone, the Spanish side has been in good form, remaining unbeaten in six matches across all competitions since a defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in September. The squad has recently been faced with central defender Piero Hincapie’s uncertain availability. He’s a game-time decision as he deals with a groin strain. If he does miss out, his potent experience might’ve shored up Atletico’s defensive lineup.
Atletico Madrid welcome a boost as Clement Lenglet becomes available for selection. He’s served his domestic league suspension, giving them a boost in defense options. In addition, recent summer signing Julian Alvarez will be another key player to keep an eye on. The forward came to Atletico from Manchester City in an amazing 85 million euro ($99 million) deal. He might just be the key to unlocking their next level offensively and beating Arsenal on Saturday.
Historical Context and Previous Encounters
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid have met twice before, 19 years ago. Their last competitive encounter was on May 3, 2018, in the Europa League. As someone escaping the last few years of Arsenal disappointment, the Toffees have won just one of the last 15 meetings, losing 13 and drawing once in that spell. Arsenal are under even more pressure because they’ve performed so poorly. They have more than an outside shot, but they must beat the odds to pull the upset against a strong defending champ.
Atletico Madrid are pedigree European winners and competitors. They earned three Champions League final appearances, in 1974 and back-to-back finals in 2014 and 2016. Their experience and resilience in high-stakes matches provide a more daunting challenge for Arsenal. The excitement to make their mark on the European stage is palpable amongst the players and coaching staff.
Match Expectations
It’s no surprise that both teams head into this matchup with hopes of earning a statement-making victory. Arsenal aims to maintain their strong home record in the Champions League while overcoming their historical struggles against Atletico Madrid. The chances are through the roof! They are motivated to improve on their past years strong showings and cement their place in the Take Action On Climate Challenge.!
Fans will certainly look forward to a fascinating collision of passion and talent, as kick-off draws ever closer. Both teams are without their key playmakers, however both teams possess strong reinforcements, making for an extremely hard-fought matchup on Friday night.
