Both Atlético Madrid and Lazio have booked their place in the knockout stages of the 2023/24 Champions League but the top spot in the group is still up for grabs as they meet on the 13th of December.
The game will be played at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano and the hosts begin the final round of fixtures top on 11 points while the visitors are in second place on 10 points.
💭 #AtletiLazio pic.twitter.com/nxm4ej013b— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) December 10, 2023
💭 #AtletiLazio pic.twitter.com/nxm4ej013b
Atlético Madrid come into the match having beat Almeria 2-1 at home in La Liga on the weekend. It was a game Atlético Madrid were expected to win comfortably against the team currently bottom of the table and they opened a 2-0 lead after only 22 minutes.
Atlético Madrid took their foot off the gas and Almeria pulled a goal back in the 62nd minute but the hosts saw out the game to claim 3 points.
The win over Almeria means Atlético Madrid have won 5 of their 6 most recent matches in all competitions. There have been wins over Villarreal and Mallorca at home in La Liga plus Celtic at home and Feyenoord away in the Champions League. The only defeat came away to Barcelona in La Liga.
Trends show Atlético Madrid have not lost in 7 of their last 8 games in the Champions League. They are undefeated in each of their last 7 at home in the competition and have kept a clean sheet in 3 of their last 6 Champions League matches on home soil.
Lazio travel to the Spanish capital on the back of a 1-1 draw at Verona in Serie A on the weekend. Lazio opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and led 1-0 at the interval. Into the second half and Verona equalised in the 70th minute.
Lazio failed to take advantage of playing against 10 men for the final 13 minutes, having to settle for a point.
The draw at Verona means Lazio are undefeated in their 4 most recent games in all competitions. They have beat Celtic at home in the Champions League, Cagliari at home in Serie A, and Genoa at home in the Coppa Italia.
In terms of the Champions League, Lazio have won 3 of their last 4 matches but only 1 of their 10 most recent away fixtures in the competition.
Team news and Atlético Madrid are without the injured duo of Pablo Barrios and Thomas Lemar.
Lazio make the trip to the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano without suspended midfielder Nicolò Rovella. Patric, Gustav Isaksen, and Alessio Romagnoli are injured.
Top place in the group is at stake in this game and Atlético Madrid will be aiming to make home advantage count.
The Spanish club are not easy to beat at home in the Champions League and just a single goal could be enough for Atlético Madrid to seal their place as group winners.