The first matchday of the UEFA Champions League saw Atletico Madrid host Juventus, in a rematch of last seasons Champions League Round of 16. The first leg of that meeting saw Atlético Madrid secure an easy 2-0 victory at the new Estadio Wanda Metropolitano and look likely of advancing to the Quarterfinals. The return leg proved to be a complete reversal, as a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick saw Juventus recover to knock-out Atleti and advance to the quarterfinals.
This match was one of the highlights of matchday one, as it saw a meeting between two sides that can expect deep runs in the knock-out stage of this competition. Atlético Madrid has a new look this season, as they upgraded their ageing fullbacks and replaced their side’s most lethal attacker, Antoine Griezmann, with the third most expensive player in history, João Félix.
Juventus have had some problems as they adjust to their new manager, Maurizio Sarri, who arrived over the summer after a mixed campaign at Chelsea. The new manager missed the first couple of Serie A matches this season after suffering from pneumonia. With these problems, his side has been slow to adapt to Sarri’s system.
This tactical analysis will look at how both sides were able to maintain compactness in the first half. We’ll look at the tactics of both sides as the match opened in the second half. Finally, this analysis will examine the role of Atlético Madrid’s switching play in the attack.
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Artwork by @chapulana
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