This time, defense alone won’t be enough to keep Atlético Madrid alive in the Champions League.
Diego Simeone’s team needs its attack to wake up if it wants to overcome the 1-0 first-leg loss to Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the European competition.
The team was held scoreless and managed a total of one shot on target in its last two matches. To reach its first Champions League semifinals since 2017, Atlético needs its stars to step up when City visits on Wednesday.
João Félix, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suárez have combined to score only four goals since early March — two by Félix and two by Suárez in the same Spanish league game. Matheus Cunha and Ángel Correa, the other Atlético forwards, also haven’t helped much recently, being unable to score since February.
Other than the double against last-place Alavés on April 2, Félix is scoreless in six matches in all competitions. Suárez hasn’t found the net since Feb. 19. The 35-year-old Uruguay striker was key for Atlético in its Spanish league title-winning campaign last year but has played a reduced role this campaign.
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