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Atletico Madrid host AC Milan at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday in a blockbuster 2021-22 UEFA Champions League clash.
The two teams are currently occupying the bottom two places in Group B, and time's running out for them to book their places in the last 16. Los Rojiblancos are third with four points from as many games, but the Rossoneri are rock bottom with just one.
Except for a 1-1 draw at home against Porto earlier this month, the high-flying Serie A outfit have lost their three other games despite faring well in the league. Another setback tonight would extinguish Milan's already slim chances of progressing to the knockouts, so the margin for error is extremely low.
Ahead of the enticing kick-off, here's a look at how Atletico Madrid and AC Milan would stack up in a hypothetical combined XI (in a 3-4-1-2 formation):
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
No player has been as consistently good as Jan Oblak, a modern-day goalkeeping legend who is grossly underrated. Tall, athletic and physically strong, Oblak has been indispensable in Atletico's goal after establishing himself in the XI in the 2015-16 season.
In 320 games, the Slovenian has kept a staggering 165 clean sheets, including 30 in 63 Champions League games, for Atletico Madrid. He has been around for so long that it's easy to forget that Oblak is still only 28, and has plenty more years at the top.
Centre-back: Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid)
The mortar to Atletico Madrid's brick, Jose Gimenez, has been a mainstay at the heart of their defence for years now.
Known for his tough and uncompromising style of defending, the Uruguayan reads the game excellently and uses his towering stature to dominate aerial duels.
Centre-back: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan)
As far as underrated centre-backs go, Simon Kjaer is somewhere at the top. He's known to wear his heart on his sleeve in every match and possesses an exemplary work rate.
He is averaging six clearances in the Champions League this season. That is a testament to his reading acumen, while having a penchant for crunch tackles and aerial duels.
Centre-back: Mario Hermoso (Atletico Madrid)
Marco Hermoso struggled to establish himself in Diego Simeone's XI during his first season at the club. But he has now become a mainstay at the heart of their backline.
He has been terrific in the Champions League this season. Hermoso has averaged two tackles and four clearances per game to shine bright for the side with his intelligent style of defending.
Right wing-back: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Interestingly, Marcos Llorente is yet to open his account for Atletico Madrid this season, having drawn a blank in all 12 appearances across competitions so far.
However, Llorente is still crucial to Atletico Madrid's offensive plays, thanks to his movement and eye for pass. He has averaged a 92.9% pass-completion rate in the UEFA Champions League this season.
Defensive Midfielder: Franck Kessie (AC Milan)
Franck Kessie has developed into a talismanic figure at AC Milan. He has scored 16 goals, and made six assists since the start of last season.
Most of his strikes have come from the penalty spot. But the Ivorian has stepped up for AC Milan in crucial moments, and has dictated play from the deep.
Defensive Midfielder: Koke (Atletico Madrid)
While Koke may not boast as many goals as Kessie, he has been the lifeblood of Atletico Madrid for several years now.
An underrated operator in Simeone's swashbuckling side, the Spaniard is excellent in ball recoveries. He also possesses an expansive passing range, and creates skilful attacking plays.
Left wing-back: Theo Hernandez (AC Milan)
After struggling to find a permanent address in Spain, Theo Hernandez has found his true home in Milan, where he has developed into a classy full-back.
Creativity is his forte, while regularly popping up with a goal or two. He tends to struggle defensively, something that's keeping him from being considered among the top players in his position.
Attacking Midfielder: Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
He has struggled to make a mark in his second Atletico Madrid stint following his return from Barcelona. However, Antoine Griezmann has gradually started to find his feet again.
He is their top scorer in Europe with three goals this season. All of them have come against AC Milan and Liverpool. That highlights his big-game pedigree that could be crucial in securing another big win for Atletico Madrid.
Striker: Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid)
Luis Suarez has merely continued from where he left off in the 2020-21 campaign. He has contributed ten goals in 17 games across competitions this season.
He also scored the 97th-minute winner against AC Milan from the penalty spot in the two teams' first meeting of the season. Suarez will look to produce more heroics in front of his home fans.
Striker: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan)
Few players in their 40s can claim to have as much of an impact on their sides like Zlatan Ibrahimovic is having at AC Milan. He has netted five times and assisted twice in seven Serie A games. Since his return to the club in January last year, Ibrahimovic has scored 33 goals in 56 games across competitions.
In Europe, though, Ibrahimovic is yet to open his account this season. The evergreen Swede will hope to get off the mark against Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano to keep Milan's flailing last-16 hopes alive.
