Club Brugge will look to continue their impressive start to the UEFA Champions League when they welcome Spanish giants Atletico Madrid to Jan Breydel Stadion on Tuesday.
Venue: Jan Breydel Stadion (Brugge)
Key Statistics
Club Brugge have won their opening two Champions League games this season.
They have scored five goals in the UCL without conceding one this season.
The hosts have won their last four games at home.
They are unbeaten in their last 12 games at the Jan Breydel Stadion (W10, D2).
Atletico Madrid have kept three clean sheets in their last five away games (W3, D1, L1).
They have never managed to secure a European victory in Belgium in seven away games so far.
won their first game of this edition of the UEFA Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen and will be looking to win consecutive European home games for the first time in over 32 years.
Head to head
Club Brugge are unbeaten in their last three matches at home against Atletico Madrid in European competitions.
In four meetings between both sides, Atletico have two wins while Club Brugge have one win.
Latest performances in all competitions
Club Brugge: W-L-W-W-W
Atletico Madrid: W-L-L-W-W
Club Brugge
Club Brugge will turn their attention to consolidating their lead in Group B of the UEFA Champions League when they welcome Atletico Madrid to the Jan Breydelstadion in Belgium.
Carl Hoefkens’ side currently leads the pack of qualifications-chasing teams after two rounds of football. The Belgians romped to a 0-4 win over FC Porto the last time they were in action in the Champions League, with goals from former Barcelona starlet Feran Jutgla from the penalty spot, Kamal Sowah, Andreas Olsen and Antonio Nusa, ensuring that the Belgians left Portugal with three crucial points and a clean sheet, and entered into the International break in the driving seat of Group B.
Club Brugge continued their impressive start to the season by beating Mechelen by a 3-0 scoreline to keep their title hopes alive in the Belgian PL, but will now face a bigger test in the form of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side who trail them by just three points in Group B of the UEFA Champions League.
Carl Hoefkens’ side have shown their mettle when coming up against teams who were considered their superior on paper, and once more, the Belgian tactician will be out mastermind yet another plan to overcome the Spanish giants and extend their lead at the top of the group.
In their last two meetings, Club Brugge have only been able to secure a draw against the Spanish side, with the other ending in a win for the Rojiblancos. The Belgians will have to put in yet another spectacular performance similar to the game against Porto, to overpower Diego Simeone’s side.
Possible Club Brugge starting line-up
Simon Mignolet; Denis Odoi, Brandon Mechele, Jorne Spileers, Eduard Sobol; Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen, Hans Vanaken; Kamal Sowah, Ferran Jutgla, Antonio Nusa.
Injured: Mats Rits, Clinton Mata
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid were considered the favourites to progress out of the Group B of the UEFA Champions League, but the Spaniards have not been able to seize their opportunity or make true the favourites tag given them.
Los Rojiblancos have picked up just one win in two games in the Champions League so far this season, to sit third in the Group standings behind Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen who handed them their last defeat before the international break.
The German side left it late to score two quick-fire goals through Robert Andrich and Moussa Diaby inside the space of three minutes to stun Diego Simeone’s side and ensured that the Argentine tactician come into this game with a bigger fight for qualifications in his hands than he would have predicted.
However, Atletico Madrid returned to secure their fourth win of the season in the Spanish La Liga when they beat Sevilla 0-2 to climb into fourth place in the Spanish top tier. Diego Simeone will be counting on the same from his boys when they travel to Belgium as they look to go a step further than they did in the Champions League last season, after crashing out in the quarter-finals to Manchester City.
Possible Atletico Madrid starting line-up
Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Stefan Savic, Jose Gimenez, Reinildo Mandava; Axel Witsel, Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, Saul Niguez, Matheus Cunha; Joao Felix, Alvaro Morata.
Injured: Felipe, Thomas Lemar, Sergio Reguilon,
Doubtful: Molina
Suspended: None
Prediction
Club Brugge 2-1 Atletico Madrid
