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Man. City vs Atlético Champions League quarter-final preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups

When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups? All you need to know about the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg between Manchester City and Atlético.

Kevin De Bruyne in training on Monday afternoon
Kevin De Bruyne in training on Monday afternoon Manchester City FC via Getty Ima

Manchester City and Atlético meet in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday 5 April.

Manchester City vs Atlético at a glance

When: Tuesday 5 April (21:00 CET kick-off)
Where: City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester
What: UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg (second leg 13 April)
How to follow: Build-up and live coverage will appear here
Semi-final opponents
: Chelsea or Real Madrid

Guess the winner of every match from now until the end of the season to create your Champions League bracket.

Where to watch Manchester City vs Atlético on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Champions League broadcast partner(s) here.

What do you need to know?

Every Atlético goal so far

Josep Guardiola vs Diego Simeone. It has the feel like a heavyweight meeting that has thrown up several classic bouts but, surprisingly, their paths have crossed only three times to date: Guardiola has won two games to Simeone's one. City have been pretty much unstoppable over the past six months but if you needed a candidate to halt their charge then Atleti, the ultimate upsetters, would be high up the list, fresh from ousting Manchester United in the last 16.

Starting line-ups

Man. City: Ederson; Stones, Laporte, Aké, João Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gündoğan; Mahrez, Sterling, Bernardo Silva
Misses next match if booked: Cancelo, De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus

Atlético: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Felipe, Savić, Reinildo, Renan Lodi; Marcos Llorente, Kondogbia, Koke; João Félix, Griezmann
Misses next match if booked: João Félix, Héctor Herrera, Kondogbia, Llorente, Reinildo, Suárez

Away goals rule abolished

There has been a rule change for 2021/22: ties level after the second leg will go to extra time and a penalty shoot-out if required, irrespective of the number of away goals a team has scored.

Form guide

Man. City
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
: WWDDWW
Where they stand: 1st in Premier League, FA Cup semi-finals

Atlético
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
: WWWWWW 
Where they stand: 3rd in Liga

Expert predictions

Matthew Howarth, Man. City reporter
Atlético's trademark resilience proved an insurmountable hurdle for Manchester United in the previous round, but Pep Guardiola's side are on another level to their city rivals. Everything the Red Devils lacked against Diego Simeone's charges – guile, creativity and inspiration – City have in abundance. While the hosts will almost certainly have to endure periods of frustration, they will be confident of establishing a healthy first-leg advantage.

Graham Hunter, Atlético reporter
"Atleti are perpetually underestimated, but we're not afraid of anyone," Koke said about this game, his 81st in the Champions League. He has a point. Atleti's playing style is not to everyone's taste, and this contest offers a stark comparison of football philosophies, but beyond the very significant absences of José María Gimenéz (muscle pain) and Yannick Carrasco (suspension), Atleti arrive with a fit, confident, in-form squad. Underdogs? Yes, but they love that.

View from the camps

Josep Guardiola, Man. City manager: "There is a misconception about the way [Diego Simeone] plays. It's more offensive than people believe. He doesn't want to take a risk in the build-up but they are very good in the final third. Every season we arrive at this stage, I say if we arrive here in April, May fighting for titles, it's because we have done really well. Bad results right now and you are out of the competitions."

Bernardo Silva, Man. City midfielder: "We were a great team five seasons ago but the team now is much better prepared for these moments. It's an improvement, definitely. It comes with experience. We had our disappointments and we learned from that."

Diego Simeone, Atlético coach: "Manchester United had different characteristics than City, more direct, quicker. City are more positional, in all areas they manage things well. We'll have to improve and be better in the good things we did two weeks ago. What I like most about City is the effort they make to win the ball back. That's the work ethic every coach wants."

Marcos Llorente, Atlético midfielder: "No team goes out to draw. We will go out to compete and whatever the result is, it will be. It is clear that in La Liga we have a good winning streak and we have to take advantage of it. The team is eager and ambitious. It is an important game and a difficult opponent that have been having a great season."

Where is the 2022 Champions League final?

Getty Images

The Stade de France in Saint-Denis will host the final on Saturday 28 May at 21:00 CET.

The winners gain a place in the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage, if they have not qualified via their domestic competition.

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