Atletico Madrid 2-2 Juventus: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | Champions League 2019/20

#1 Atletico and Juventus lay down the gauntlet, early

Atletico Madrid could be a very tough proposition in Europe

In the 2018-19 season, Atletico were dumped out by Juventus in the Round of 16 before the Bianconeri came unstuck in the quarter-finals. Thus, before the current term dawned, several wondered if the duo was genuine contenders for the title.

And, if Wednesday’s encounter is any indicator, they certainly underlined their credentials, emphatically.

Though there remain a few flaws to iron out for both sides, they have a plethora of strengths to offset the weaknesses.

More importantly though, the pair seems to have imbibed in themselves a fighting spirit that could take them deep into the competition.

At the Wanda Metropolitano, there were countless instances when either was under the cosh. Yet, they rode out those storms confidently and then struck when the chances presented itself.

And, that attribute could prove to be defining, especially when push comes to shove in the knock-out phases.

Additionally, Maurizio Sarri and Diego Simeone displayed excellent tactical nous to shift systems through the course of the game and eventually, arrive at a formula that served them best.

Also, the presence of match-winners in both squads makes Atletico and Juventus particularly hard nuts to crack.

Thus, at the moment, with no team really staking its claim to be early front-runners for the Champions League, one just feels that the aforementioned duo might have done so.

And, though a stalemate might not send shockwaves through the footballing world, it certainly is enough to draw the attention of Europe towards them.