Porto vs Atletico Madrid

Wednesday’s Champions League action gets underway at the Estádio do Dragão as Group B runners-up Porto welcome third-placed Atletico Madrid in the final group stage round.

Despite suffering a 2-1 loss in a curtain-raising Group B fixture in Madrid and following it up with a dreadful 4-0 home defeat to Club Brugge, last season’s Primeira Liga winners have bounced back to win three straight Champions League matches. Though they’ve progressed into the knockouts with a game to spare, Porto will be out to avenge their loss in Spain and potentially seize a top spot in the group as they head into proceedings one point adrift of table-topping Brugge. However, that might be easier said than done, considering the ‘Dragons’ have only won twice in their 11 previous European meetings with Atletico (D4, L5). Yet after winning their last three Champions League outings without conceding, Porto could reach an unprecedented club feat should they replicate similar success here.

In the meantime, last week’s action-packed 2-2 home draw with Bayer Leverkusen condemned Atletico Madrid to the first Champions League group stage elimination since 2017/18. With basement boys Leverkusen one point below ahead of the final matchday, ‘Los Rojiblancos’ cannot afford a slip-up in Portugal if they’re to maintain their continental journey in the Europa League knockouts. Since beating Porto in the reverse fixture, Diego Simeone’s men have gone winless in four consecutive Champions League games (D2, L2), their longest such streak in the competition during the Argentine’s 11-year tenure. Adding to Simeone’s sizeable list of worries, his side succumbed to a morale-crushing 3-2 defeat at La Liga bottom-half strugglers Cadiz at the weekend, making it one win from their last four competitive encounters (D2, L1).