Milan are coming off a 2nd place finish in Group H with Barcelona winning the group. Atletico Madrid finished atop their group rather convincingly.
Milan are fully aware of the monster that is Atletico Madrid. When you surpass Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona in the league table, you certainly have caught the attention of Europe. This club led by Diego Simeone hasn't shocked anybody with their performance this season. The talent is obvious. The quality is world class. To those who think Atletico Madrid are a notch below Barcelona and Real Madrid, you need to re-evaluate your thoughts. This club is the real deal. Here is a breakdown of their squad:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois- The young Belgium international is among the elite keepers in Europe. On loan to the Spanish side from Chelsea, the 21 year old has certainly made a name for himself. One of the reasons Simeone's side has become a defensively sound club is because of this guy.
Defending: CB Diego Godin, LB Filipe Luis, CB Miranda and RB Juanfran- This unit, in the eyes of many football experts, is the best back line in all of Europe. The 27 year old Uruguayan Diego Godin is a rock. Very strong in the air, clears his line often and likes to dribble. Miranda likes to play the long balls and has a great chemistry with Godin. They work off each other exceptionally well. The Brazilian Luis might be their best defender. A technically sound left-back who likes having the ball at his feet, looking to create. Due to a right adductor muscle tear he is currently working his way back from, he is questionable for the first leg. Finally, there is the Spaniard, Juanfran. The right-back tends to cross the ball a lot in the attack. At times, he can be exploited in the air. Overall as a unit, this back line is solid.
Midfield: CM Tiago, CM/LM/RM Koke, AM Arda Turan, DM Gabi, AM Diego- These are a few of the midfielders Simeone has to play with. Just because their last name isn't Iniesta or Fabregas doesn't mean they aren't legit threats. The crop can flat out play and has showcased top-flite ability this season. Turan and Koke, I feel, will provide Milan with the most headaches. Both have the ability to score and have shown that this season. Turan is arguably the club's best midfielder. He is a plus passer and dribbler. The Turkish international is a creator in the attacking mid role. The young Spanish international Koke has few flaws to his game. Simeone can deploy him in several attacking midfield roles. Where he plays v Milan is up to Simeone but he can be moved around and be effective. Simeone has an array of midfield options with some not even mentioned here.
Attacking: FWD's Diego Costa and David Villa- These two forwards have been the best for Atletico Madrid in terms of getting on the scoresheet this season. Costa has netted a total of 24 goals this year, 4 coming in the group stages of the CL alone. Villa has 11 goals in all competitions in his first year with Madrid. The former Barcelona man has had another solid season. He has a knack for scoring big goals, whether it be around the box or from set pieces. Villa remains an elite finisher and one who has burned Milan from a free kick before. At age 32, he still has goals left in his boots. Arguably the most coveted forward this summer will be the 25 year old Brazilian Diego Costa. The now Spanish international has broken out this year. He ended 2013 on fire. However, 2014 started off slow for Costa, scoring only 2 goals after the break. Still, he remains the target man for Madrid and one they will rely heavily on to take them to the next round of the Champions League. Costa is exceptional on the counter attack and with a supporting cast like his, its no surprise.
Milan has their work cut out for them. February 19th v Atletico Madrid is Clarence Seedorf's CL debut for Milan as a manager. Under Article 18 (18-21) of the UCL regulations, clubs can register up to three new players by February 1st and Seedorf made good use of this regulation as he included Michael Essien, Adil Rami and Adel Taarabt into the 25 man roster. Essien and Rami should be key for Milan as they will need a great defensive effort in order to contain Simeone's squad. In the Milan attack, a key performer returns in the name of Giampaolo Pazzini. Pazzini is an aerial threat and does well in holding possession. In last year's 2-0 win over Barcelona at the San Siro, Pazzini did an exceptional job holding the ball and drawing fouls that slowed the flow of the game, something Barcelona doesn't enjoy. They like to pass the ball around, keep the gaming moving and they bring the game to their opponent. Obviously, the Milan defense is the biggest concern especially when you have to defend a squad like Atletico Madrid. The player Milan needs the most from is? You guessed it, Mario Balotelli. His talent level speaks for itself but his attitude has always been a question mark wherever he's played during his career. Look for him to carry Milan in attack. I fully expect him to prove to the world why he's a world-class player.Coming up with a probable formation v Atletico Madrid is difficult being as Montolivo and Muntari are suspended plus the absence of Honda because he is cup-tied. Seedorf could experiment with either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-2-1. Here is how both formations could look:
Our Predicted Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Abbiati; Abate, Rami, Zapata, De Sciglio; De Jong, Essien; Taarabt, Kaka, Poli; Balotelli
Our Predicted Starting XI (4-3-2-1): Abbiati; Abate, Rami, Zapata, De Sciglio; De Jong, Kaka, Essien; Taarabt, Birsa; Balotelli
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