Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid

With a place in the Champions League quarter-finals at stake, Manchester United will take on Atletico Madrid in the return leg of their evenly-poised Champions League last-16 tie. A 1-1 first-leg draw in Spain made sure both sides have all to play for at Old Trafford this midweek.

Brimming with confidence following a 3-2 Premier League win over Tottenham at the weekend, Manchester United will be looking to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2018/19. After setting an English record for the most appearance in the competition’s knock-out phase (19), the ‘Red Devils’ are keen to extend their eight-game unbeaten European record against La Liga sides (W5, D3), extra-time/penalties excluded. However, Man United have seen their last four European campaigns curtailed by Spanish opponents, including a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Villarreal in last season’s Europa League grand final. United’s 12-game Champions League record at Old Trafford reads indifferently (W6, D1, L5), though they have yet to lose such a match-up this season (W2, D1).

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have hit a purple patch since drawing the first leg, putting together three consecutive La Liga victories, including a 2-1 home triumph over Cadiz at the weekend. Diego Simeone’s men head into proceedings as outsiders, but after reaching at least the quarter-finals in five of their last eight Champions League campaigns, they will stake their claim for a place in the last-8. Indeed, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ have come out victorious in nine of their 12 two-legged knock-out ties against English opponents, racking up five successive triumphs in such contests before last season’s Champions League last-16 elimination at the hands of Chelsea. But Atletico’s overall European record away to English teams cannot offer much comfort to the travelling support (W3, D7, L6), even though they’ve lost just once in their last six such match-ups (W2, D3).