Atletico Madrid’s Portuguese forward Joao Felix looks on during the Spanish league football match Levante UD against Club Atletico de Madrid at the Camilo Cano stadium in La Nucia on June 23, 2020. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP)

Champions League team news: Leipzig vs Atletico – Predicted starting XIs

Here we take a look at who is likely to start the Champions League quarterfinal between Leipzig and Atletico Madrid in Lisbon.

by James Richardson

13-08-2020 12:18

in Soccer

The Champions League quarterfinals continue in Lisbon as Germany’s RB Leipzig take on Atletico Madrid to determine who will face PSG in the semi-finals.

Champions League team news: Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid

Leipzig have been forced to make drastic changes to their squad after their successes attracted suitors for a number of their stars. Atletico have made no changes to the group they registered for the Champions League knockout phase at the turn of the year.

RB Leipzig

Timo Werner’s move to Chelsea was the most high-profile but Leipzig have moved on no fewer than four players originally in the Champions League squad.

Ethan Ampadu, Frederik Jäkel, Werner, Hannes Wolf have all been removed from Leipzig’s Champions League squad with teenaged Spanish striker Hugo Novoa added to the group.

French centre back Ibrahima Konaté has been ruled out of the clash with injury, but otherwise Julian Nagelsmann will have a full group to choose from. Leipzig have lost the likes of Erling Braut Håland, Takumi Minamino and Werner over the course of the 2019/20 season as their star men drew the attention of Europe’s elite.

That has left Leipzig with little choice but to play on-loan forward Patrik Schick as a lone striker. The club are eager to secure the services of the Roma target man permanently but have been unable to agree terms with his parent club.

Atletico Madrid

Atletico saw off last season’s Champions League winners before lockdown and haven’t played since the end of the La Liga season.

They have a few injury concerns with Arsenal target Thomas Partey facing a late fitness test ahead of the contest.

Sime Vrsaljko and Angel Correa have been ruled out of the Champions League quarterfinal against Leipzig after testing positive for the dreadful virus.

Atletico are expected to field a strike partnership made up of exciting young Portuguese forward João Félix and grizzled veteran Diego Costa.

Koke has played every Champions League match for Atletico this season as has his midfield partner Saúl Ñíguez while Marcos Llorente and Atletico Madrid prodigal son Yannick Carrasco will patrol the flanks.