Cristiano Ronaldo straight to Atletico

Immersed in two very irregular campaigns (1-1), with difficulties even to finish their respective championships in the top four, there is no longer any margin of error for Manchester United and Atlético in the great Europe (9:00 p.m., in Movistar Champions League). After the tie in the first leg at the Metropolitano, where the colchoneros missed a pintiparado opportunity to sentence the tie but in the final stretch they gave away the goal of the Swedish Anthony Elanga, Old Trafford will define today who goes to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, a round in which, surely, both the red devils and the mattresses would be the object of desire for the great candidates for the title.

The generational duel between the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, author of a spectacular hat-trick in Saturday’s win against Tottenham, and Joao Félix, leader of Atlético with five goals in the last five games, marks an appointment that will leave a winner and, above all, , a loud loser. As much as in the first round he vindicated Cholo Simeone’s collective plan, capable of suffocating United for more than an hour, he was an exception at a time when the rojiblancos depend on their best individuality. The ‘Menino’ has experienced exponential growth since, like his team, he hit rock bottom after the defeat against Levante, and he is the one who fuels Atlético’s dreams of greatness.

As Luis Suárez has been bench meat in recent days and Griezmann is still looking for the point of form after two months injured, Joao Félix is ​​the man. His last goals, four of them before the 7th minute, and his leadership, support an Atlético that this season has only won two of its seven Champions League games. Victories, yes, achieved as a visitor, 1-2 in San Siro against Milan and 1-3 in Porto that sealed their round of 16 ticket at the last minute. In ten years with Simeone, he reached two finals, but has only advanced beyond the round of 16 in one of his last four appearances.

Due to the absences of Carrasco, due to suspension, and Wass, Vrsaljko, Lemar and Cunha, due to injury, and the shortness of the squad, Simeone has displaced six players from the reserve team. Opposite, United gives the feeling of not obeying a plan and not trusting their coach, Ralf Rangnick, but they enjoy figures that rescue them. Cristiano is his great weapon.

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