Atletico Madrid attacker Julian Alvarez can close in on a Rojiblancos record when his side face fierce rivals Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
The former Manchester City man has already netted six goals in this season’s Champions League, and he needs three more to set a new all-time best for an Atletico player in their first season at the club.
Alvarez was also responsible for Atletico’s winner in their slender 1-0 La Liga triumph over Athletic Bilbao over the weekend, propelling Diego Simeone‘s men to the top of the table in the process.
The Argentina international can surely expect a promotion back to the first XI for the first leg, most likely alongside Antoine Griezmann in a two-pronged attack as Alexander Sorloth makes way.
Two super subs combined over the weekend, as Marcos Llorente slipped in Alvarez for the decisive strike and also has six goal contributions from six UCL appearances this season, two of his own and four assists.
The Spaniard is therefore a strong candidate to start on the right-hand side over Giuliano Simeone, but expect Rodrigo De Paul, Pablo Barrios and Samuel Lino to hold their spots in the bank of four.
The same goes for Nahuel Molina, Robin Le Normand, Javi Galan and long-serving number one Jan Oblak at the back, but Clement Lenglet is at risk of losing his spot to the experienced Jose Gimenez.
Koke (thigh) and Cesar Azpilicueta (leg) are the visitors’ only two injury concerns at present.
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Galan; Llorente, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez
> Click here to see how Real Madrid could line up for the first leg
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