Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd – Champions League: Live score and updates

Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United LIVE: Ralf Rangnick’s side travel to Diego Simeone’s struggling LaLiga holders as Scott McTominay is left at home with illness… and Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann BOTH start on the bench

  • Man United take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last-16 first-leg
  • Europe’s premier club competition is United last chance of silverware this term
  • Diego Simeone and Luis Suarez await the Red Devils at the Wanda Metropolitano 
  • Latest Champions League news, including live action and results

Manchester United’s last chance of silverware this season lies in the Champions League and they begin their knockout quest for European glory in Madrid. 

Ralf Rangnick’s side have managed to stop losing games but the pressure is on for Cristiano Ronaldo and Co to deliver in Europe’s premier club competition.  

Wednesday night’s opponents are Diego Simeone’s Atletico who are faltering in their LaLiga title defence this season – but are no strangers to upsetting the odds in a big-game. 

Follow Sportsmail’s SAM BLITZ for live Champions League coverage of Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United in the first leg of their last-16 clash, including build-up, team news and updates. 

Elsewhere, Benfica and Ajax also go head-to-head tonight, which we will keep you up-to-date with. 

Host commentator

So what can we expect from Atletico Madrid tonight?

Their record and players speak for themselves. LaLiga champions, Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, Jan Oblak and, of course, Diego Simeone. But it’s not that simple. 

Like United, Atleti’s top-four hopes are not in their hands at this stage of the season and – just like Ralf Rangnick’s side – hanging onto a lead has been a problem for the Spaniards.

Looks like we’re in for a well-matched game tonight. Here’s Sportsmail’s Spanish football expert PETE JENSON with the Atleti lowdown…

Meanwhile – in the Manchester United camp – Bruno Fernandes has been ushering positive reports from the Red Devils group ahead of tonight’s game. 

Rumblings of discontent from players have come out in recent weeks following difficult Premier League draws with Aston Villa, Burnley and Southampton, but United’s No 18 has been quick to deny those rumours.

Which United will we see tonight? A strong team that has avoided defeat in their last six Premier League games? Or the calamitous side that is hanging onto its silverware chances by a thread?

A quick reminder that tonight’s clash between Atletico Madrid and Benfica is not the only Champions League game this evening.

Benfica take on Ajax in the other European clash tonight, with Erik ten Hag looking to improve his managerial stock this evening – and some quarters of the United hierarchy may be looking on with interest. 


So what have both camps said about the other ahead of this clash?

Well, it’s been all praise from Diego Simeone about Man United, who he claims are one of the best teams in the world on current form.

The Argentine coach claims Ralf Rangnick’s side have not put in a bad performance in their last 14 games. Simeone will be hoping they end that run this evening.

There’s also some surprising team news at Atletico Madrid’s end, as Luis Suarez is not picked to start despite scoring a wondergoal at Osasuna at the weekend. 

The Uruguayan is named on the bench alongside Antoine Griezmann, with Joao Felix and Angel Correa leading the line.

Yannick Carrasco is another player who drops out in Diego Simeone’s squad, with Renan Lodi starting at left wing-back. Meanwhile, Geoffrey Kondogbia comes in for Koke in midfield.

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Gimenez, Reinildo, Renan Lodi; Llorente, Kondogbia, Herrera; Felix, Correa

Some interesting team news here for Manchester United, as Ralf Rangnick appears – at first glance – to have elected with a back three this evening.

There’s no place for Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the starting line-up tonight, as it appears Jadon Sancho could be in line for a right wing-back role.

There are two changes overall. Scott McTominay and Jesse Lingard make way for Raphael Varane and Marcus Rashford. Victor Lindelof has kept his place in the starting line-up. 

Man United XI: De Gea; Lindelof, Varane, Maguire; Sancho, Fred, Pogba, Fernandes, Shaw; Ronaldo, Rashford

Atletico fans, you can look away now. Cristiano Ronaldo has entered the building.

The 37-year-old has been a major thorn in Atleti’s side over the years, with 25 goals in 35 matches against Diego Simeone’s men. Ronaldo has also knocked out Los Colchoneros on multiple occasions in both Real Madrid and Juventus colours.

Here are Ronaldo’s Atleti encounter stats in full:

Appearances: 35

Minutes played: 3,015

Goals: 25

Wins: 16

Draws: 10

Losses: 9

Plenty of Manchester United fans have made the trip to Spain for this evening’s game. Hundreds were spotted in the city’s Plaza Mayor singing United chants and enjoying their afternoon in the sun.

Some former players have made the trip as well. Patrice Evra has been bearing his pearly whites in the Wanda Metropolitano, while Gary Neville has also announced he is in the Spanish capital for this clash. 

With the Atletico fans expected to be noisy, expect a raucous atmosphere to come through in Madrid…



So before Ralf Ranginck’s team news drops, let’s take a look at who has travelled in the Manchester United squad.

There’s no surprise to see Cristiano Ronaldo there, who has history in dumping Atletico Madrid out of the Champions League, with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford among the English contingent looking for a United start tonight.

Youngster Hannibal Mejbri was also spotted boarding the plane alongside Anthony Elanga, the 19-year-old winger who has thrived for United in recent weeks.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have all got one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals – can Manchester United match their English rivals’ feats over the past week?

Ahead of Ralf Rangnick’s side tonight is arguably the most difficult challenge any English side has had to face in this year’s last-16 as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are all that separate United from the last eight. 

The Spanish side are LaLiga champions but are faltering in their title defence this season – but as Liverpool found out in 2020, underestimate Simone’s men at your peril. 

Kick-off is at 8pm (GMT) so we’ll have team news for you within the next half an hour…




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