Key star returns for Atletico Madrid’s Champions League comeback As Atlético and Antoine Griezmann are desperate to win LaLiga together

Key star returns for Atletico Madrid’s Champions League comeback As Atlético and Antoine Griezmann are desperate to win LaLiga together

Atletico Madrid return to UEFA Champions League action on January 21 with a crunch home clash against Bayer Leverkusen.

Los Rojiblancos are aiming to secure their automatic spot in the last 16 next month as they currently sit one point outside the top eight

Diego Simeone’s side head into the game on the back of seeing their 15-match winning streak ended by Leganes in La Liga action as the title race rolls on.

Simeone will be keen to secure an instant reaction from his players against the reigning Bundesliga champions with positive injury news for the hosts.

As per the latest update from Diario AS, Jose Maria Gimenez came through a final training test, and the Uruguayan will rejoin the squad for the game – but he is unlikely to start at centre back.

However, the progress on Gimenez is balanced against other injury-enforced absences, with Alexander Sorloth and Pablo Barrios both ruled out until the end of January.

As per the latest update from Diario AS, Jose Maria Gimenez came through a final training test, and the Uruguayan will rejoin the squad for the game – but he is unlikely to start at centre back.

However, the progress on Gimenez is balanced against other injury-enforced absences, with Alexander Sorloth and Pablo Barrios both ruled out until the end of January.

Griezmann penalty miss looms large as Atlético falter in LaLiga

Antoine Griezmann’s career at Atlético Madrid has had everything except the Spanish game’s two biggest prizes: a UEFA Champions League crown and a Primera División title. The club’s top scorer has famously evaded both leagues that Atlético have won under Diego Simeone, signing after the first and leaving for FC Barcelona before the second. He has had his fair share of stick from the fans for moving to the Catalan club, and it was not until the Frenchman continued to deliver on the pitch that the Metropolitano fully accepted him again. The acceptance quickly turned into adoration once more and this year, Griezmann could finally complete the fairytale.

Saturday’s late penalty miss against Leganés certainly threw a spanner in the works but, barring that unfortunate error, we would do well to remember that Griezmann has been phenomenal this season. He has built upon the solid showing of the previous year and found yet another level to take his game in the months before his 34th birthday. Griezmann is scoring a goal once every 163 minutes across competitions, roughly once every two games, and he is creating a chance every 46 minutes. For comparison, only six other players in the Spanish league have created more chances this season.

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