Like their more illustrious neighbours Real Madrid, Atletico also need at least a point from their final group game to book a place in the UEFA Champions League knock-out stage. (More Football News)
But Diego Simeone expects a "brave" RB Salzburg to take Atletico Madrid out of their comfort zone in the crunch Champions League, Group A clash at Red Bull Arena.
Here are the starting XIs:
Salzburg: Cican Stankovic; Rasmus Kristensen, Andre Ramalho, Maximilian Wober, Andreas Ulmer; Enock Mwepu, Zlatko Junuzovic, Dominik Szoboszlai; Mergim Berisha; Patson Daka, Sekou Koita.
Subs: Noah Okafor, Alexander Walke, Masaya Okugawa, Karim Adeyemi, Luka Sucic, Albert Vallci, Jerome Onguene, Carlos, Patrick Farkas
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Atletico: Jan Oblak; Stefan Savic, Felipe, Mario Hermoso; Koke; Kieran Trippier, Marcos Llorente, Saul Niguez, Yannick Carrasco; Luis Suarez, Joao Felix.
Subs: Miguel San Roman, Ivo Grbic, Toni Moya, Ivan Saponjic, Hector Herrera, Sime Vrsaljko, Vitolo, Lucas Torreira, Angel Correa, Thomas Lemar, Renan Lodi.
With defending champions Bayern Munich already qualified, the fight is on for the remaining one spot. And as things stand now, Atleti are second with six points (one win, three draws and one defeat), while Salzburg are third with four points (one win, one draw and three defeats). So, the clash effectively becomes a knock-out match with the winners joining the Bavarians in the round of 16.
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Atleti, two-time finalists under Simeone, have drawn each of their past three group matches, including being pegged back to 1-1 by a late Thomas Muller penalty for Bayern last time out. A fourth consecutive stalemate in Salzburg will seal qualification for the knockout stages at their Austrian opponents' expense, but Simeone knows Jesse Marsch's expansive side needing victory makes them particularly dangerous.
"This game is a bit like when you play in a knockout game and you're away from home in the second leg," said Simeone, with Atleti having won a thriller between the sides 3-2 at the Wanda Metropolitano in October. "The opponent always needs to go for the game, they've got a very good side and it will be difficult for us... We will try and do them damage; in the first meeting with them there were goals and it might well be similar."
But Simeone will a very strong team for the clash with Luis Suarez almost certain to lead the match in Austria.
For the hosts, who have one more point than Lokomotiv Moscow, nothing less than a win will do. And there is a threat of missing even the Europa League spot.
When and where to watch Red Bull Salzburg Vs Atletico Madrid football match? Also, check other details:
Match: Red Bull Salzburg Vs Atletico Madrid, UEFA Champions League, Group A match - Matchday 6
Date: December 10 (Thursday), 2020
Time: 1:30 AM IST; 8 PM (GMT) Wednesday.
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Wals-Siezenheim, Austria
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TV Channels: Sony Six/HD (Indian Subcontinent)
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
Check international coverage HERE.
Likely XIs:
Red Bull Salzburg: Stankovic; Kristensen, Ramalho, Wober; Ulmer; Mwepu, Camara, Junuzovic, Szoboszlai; Koita, Berisha.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Savic, Gimenez, Hermoso; Trippier, Llorente, Koke, Saul, Vitolo; Felix, Suarez.
