Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the UEFA Champions League 2021-22 quarterfinal second leg clash between Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City being played at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

This is Aneesh Dey bringing you the pre-match buildup minute-by-minute updates of this high-voltage clash.

[Aggregate Score: Atletico Madrid 0-1 Manchester City]

30′ Off the post- Mahrez sends a brilliant pass to Walker with the outside of his foot. Walker squares the ball which reaches Foden. Foden passes to Gundogan, whose first-time shot rattles the post and comes back into play.

27′ Block- Cancelo’s cross from the left is taken well by De Bruyne, who shoots on the volley. However, it is a very good block by Atletico which prevents the shot from reaching Oblak.

24′ Man City seems to have some some footing in the game as Guardiola’s men look more comfortable passing the ball around.

21′ Some nice bit of football by Atletico to get the ball out of a crowded area near its box. Kongdogbia sends the ball to Felix who tries to get past Walker on the left flank but fails to do so.

19′ Kokre tries to release Griezmann with a through ball but Ederson comes off his line and clears the ball before the Frenchman can get to it.

17′ Atletico not giving City players much time on the ball as it continues to press the away team.

15′ Foden is all patched up and looks okay to continue, which is good news for Man City and its fans.

12′ A clash of heads between Felipe and Foden where the latter has come off worse. It was a reckless challenge by Felipe and he is lucky to get away without a booking.

10′ Chance- Stones gets a header away from a Man City corner- he made good contact with the ball but could not keep his head over the ball as it goes out of play.

8′ Shot- Gundogan opens up his body and tries a curler from the right side of the Atletico box. However, his effort is not on target.

7′ Lemar swings a cross in from the left but Stones is at the right place to head the ball to safety.

5′ A great run by Mahrez as he skips past a couple of players and tries for the shiot. However, Llorente is there to make the block and Atletico has the ball again.

4′ Llorente is tries to reach the ball played to him on the right flank but the pass is too heavy and the ball goes out of play. It is a goalkick to Man City.

3′ Atletico looking lively in the opening minutes as Simeone’s men press City inside its own half. The urgency is evident.

1′ KICK-OFF!

12-30 am- And we are underway!

12-00 am-  Match highlights of when both teams met for the last time!

READ | Manchester City 1-0 Atletico Madrid Champions League Highlights: De Bruyne’s goal secures win at Etihad

11-41 pm- Formations!

Atletico Madrid has gone with a 3-5-2 formation with Llorente, Koke, Kongdogbia, Lemar and Lodi making the midfield five. Griezmann and Felix lead the two-man attack.

Manchester City will be playing in its familiar 4-3-3 formation with Foden playing the No. 9 role. He wiull be supported by Bernardo Silva and Mahrez from the flanks. De Bruyne, Rodri and Gundogan make the midfield three. Kyle Walker makes a return after serving his three-match ban.

11-18 pm- Starting lineups are out!

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak(GK), Lodi, Reinaldo, Felipe, Savic, Llorente, Lemar, Kongdogbia, Koke(C), Griezmann, Felix

Coach: Diego Simeone

Manchester City XI: Ederson(GK), Walker, Stones, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden

Coach: Pep Guardiola

11-10 pm- The 12th man!

Fans are seen outside the stadium waving scarfs during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg Two match between Atletico Madrid and Manchester City at Wanda Metropolitano on April 13, 2022 in Madrid, Spain.   –  GETTY IMAGES

11-00 pm- Stat!

MATCH PREVIEW

This time, defense alone won’t be enough to keep Atlético Madrid alive in the Champions League.

Diego Simeone’s team needs its attack to wake up if it wants to overcome the 1-0 first-leg loss to Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the European competition.

The team was held scoreless and managed a total of one shot on target in its last two matches. To reach its first Champions League semifinals since 2017, Atlético needs its stars to step up when City visits on Wednesday.

READ | Atletico Madrid vs Manchester City, Liverpool vs Benfica: Champions League quarterfinals, all you need to know

João Félix, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suárez have combined to score only four goals since early March — two by Félix and two by Suárez in the same Spanish league game. Matheus Cunha and Ángel Correa, the other Atlético forwards, also haven’t helped much recently, being unable to score since February.

Other than the double against last-place Alavés on April 2, Félix is scoreless in six matches in all competitions. Suárez hasn’t found the net since Feb. 19. The 35-year-old Uruguay striker was key for Atlético in its Spanish league title-winning campaign last year but has played a reduced role this campaign.

Griezmann has been struggling the most, though, with no goals in nine consecutive matches in a scoreless streak that dates back to a Copa del Rey match in January. The 31-year-old France forward returned to Atlético this season after a lackluster stint with Barcelona but hasn’t fully met expectations.

Simeone rested Félix against Mallorca on Saturday and started with Suárez and Griezmann in attack, but they struggled in a 1-0 loss that left the team fourth in the league standings with seven rounds to go, in danger of not securing a Champions League spot next season.

READ | Simeone: Atletico won’t change its philosophy to please the pundits

Atlético had only one shot on target against relegation-threatened Mallorca and none in the first leg against City.

Besides offensive struggles, Atlético’s recent home record in European competitions also has been disappointing. It hasn’t won in its last six home games in the Champions League, with four draws and two losses. It lost to Liverpool and AC Milan this season, with draws against Porto in the group stage and Manchester United in the first leg of the round of 16.

To make it worse, the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium won’t be at full capacity on Wednesday after UEFA charged the club with “discriminatory behavior” and ordered a 5,000-seat section of the stadium to be closed after an Atlético fan was filmed making a Nazi salute in the first leg in Manchester. Atlético will also have to display a UEFA banner there, saying “#NoToRacism.”

READ |READ: Atletico wins CAS appeal over UEFA order for partial stadium closure

Atlético’s defense, which has carried the team under Simeone in recent years, was largely effective in Manchester and could be boosted by the return of José María Giménez, who missed the first leg because of a muscle injury. Midfielder Héctor Herrera was listed as doubtful because of a muscle injury.

Not having the away-goals rule in place this season could be key for Atlético after it failed to score in England.

Playing in the quarterfinals for the sixth time in nine seasons, the Spanish club is seeking its first Champions League title.

-Via AP

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