PSV Eindhoven will want to use the momentum from he recent UEFA Champions League win to add pressure on upcoming opponents, Atletico Madrid.
PSV Eindhoven did what Atletico Madrid could not in the UEFA Champions League, as the Dutch giants recorded an emphatic victory over Liverpool at Anfield. Nicking a win is one thing, but Peter Bosz’s side thrashed the Merseysiders with a tremendous 4-1 reverse scoreline.
PSV are in a rich vein of form on the domestic front, and Bosz will want that replicated on the European front, and is certainly keen to take advantage of the momentum garnered from the Liverpool win. The Eredivisie leaders are currently stranded in 15th spot, but only two points separate them from a top-eight place.
They are undefeated in their last five games on home soil, and Bosz will be eager for his players to push the envelope to get into a strong position. Moreover, should they secure a famous victory over Atletico Madrid, PSV would be above their opponents in the standings, as this becomes a crunch clash as the key stages of the group phases begin.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid will be boosted by their big victory in the Champions League as they last beat Inter Milan on home soil to boost their own top eight hopes. Diego Simeone will want a professional performance against PSV Eindhoven to further boost their chances of reaching closer to the promised land.
While Atletico Madrid have a wretched recent away form, as they have failed to win eight of their last ten games on the road, they do boast a brilliant record against PSV. The two teams have met seven times in the past, with the Spanish giants losing none of those encounters, which could make them the favourites heading to Eindhoven.
The Rojiblancos are also seeking an entry into the top eight, and currently remain two points adrift of eighth-placed Sporting CP. With three games left to play, including this one against PSV, Galatasaray and Bodo/Glimt, Simeone will demand wins in all of those to give his team the best chance possible of automatic qualification into the next round.
Team News & Tactics
PSV Eindhoven
Peter Bosz would have ideally kept an unchanged lineup from the Liverpool victory, but PSV are currently missing goalscorer Ivan Perisic. Alassane Plea and Ruben van Bommel are the others missing out, although Bosz will be able to name a strong team even without the trio.
The availability of Couhaib Driouech will not make PSV Eindhoven miss Ivan Perisic too much, having replaced the Croat in the Liverpool game to score twice. Bosz will continue to rely on the presence of Mauro Junior and Joey Veerman’s form in central midfield, while Jerdy Schouten and Yarek Gasiorowski will marshal the central defensive setup.
Sergino Dest and Anass Salah-Eddine will keep their spots in the full-back roles. Bosz will likely use a 4-4-2, with Ismael Saibari and Gus Til in the two-prong attacking setup, while Dennis Man and Driouech will provide the width in the system.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Kovar; Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine; Man, Junior, Veerman, Driouech; Saibari, Til
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone has a larger injury list compared to Peter Bosz, as key defender Jose Maria Gimenez misses out again with a hamstring issue. Midfielder Johnny Cardoso was taken off against Barcelona recently, and he too misses out as Koke could come into his place to fill the void.
Alternatively, Simeone could select Conor Gallagher and Pablo Barrios in a double pivot centrally, while Nico Gonzalez could occupy the attacking midfield role. There are some issues at the back as Robin Le Normand is also absent from proceedings, meaning Simeone will likely select David Hancko, and Clement Lenglet will feature in central defence.
Nahuel Molina and Matteo Ruggeri will marshal the full-back areas, while Tiago Almada and Guiliano Simeone will provide the width. Simeone will continue to select star man Julian Alvarez to lead the line for Atletico Madrid against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Oblak; Molina, Hancko, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Gallagher, Barrios; Simeone, Gonzalez, Almada; Alvarez
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have kept a clean sheet in their last four matches against PSV Eindhoven in all competitions.
- Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their last seven games against PSV Eindhoven.
- PSV Eindhoven are unbeaten in their last five home games across all competitions.
- PSV Eindhoven have kept a clean sheet in three of their last four games across all competitions.
- 13 of Atletico Madrid’s last 17 wins in the UEFA Champions League have been achieved in home matches. While they are on a six-game winning streak at home in the competition, Diego Simeone’s side have lost each of their last three on the road. They have only lost four in a row in the European Cup/Champions League once previously (4 – April-November 2022).
Player to Watch
Julian Alavarez
The Argentine star is going on a barren run in La Liga, having failed to score in his last five games there, but he has been hitting the back of the net in the Champions League. Alvarez has scored in his last two games on the continental front, as Diego Simeone will want the attacker firing on all cylinders.
A win over PSV Eindhoven is much needed at this stage for Atletico Madrid, and they will want their star forward firing on all cylinders. This could be a good test for the PSV defence in truth, but Alvarez will be ready to go and help his team out in a crunch period.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-1 PSV
PSV are in a hot vein of form as things stand, but there will be question marks over their ability against another big team. While the Liverpool win will be seen as a comprehensive step towards progression, the idea of doing it again when Atletico Madrid come visiting will seem a bit far-fetched.
While PSV pose a big threat, especially after the Liverpool result, Atletico Madrid have a fabulous record against the Dutch giants. Diego Simeone’s side also have the superior quality when it comes to the players, which could give the Rojiblancos the edge in this clash, meaning they are the expected winners.
