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In the second quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League, Atletico Madrid meet RB Leipzig at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon on Thursday night.
Both the teams were impressive in the Round of 16 where they eliminated last year's finalists. Leipzig scored four unanswered goals past Tottenham Hotspur across two legs while Atletico Madrid edged out reigning champions Liverpool 4-2 on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid will make their fifth appearance in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in the last seven seasons, while this is the first time Leipzig have reached this stage of the competition.
In Diego Simeone and Julian Nagelsmann, there are two astute managers leading the two teams in the one-legged last-eight Champions League match. A captivating battle is in store as the two coaches have very different playing philosophies.
But in the end, it will be the battle between the players on the pitch that'll determine the outcome of the game. On that note, we take a look at five key player battles as Atletico Madrid take on Leipzig for a place in the Champions League semifinals.
Five key player battles in Atletico Madrid's Champions League quarterfinal with RB Leipzig:
#5: Christopher Nkunku (Leipzig) vs Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
RB Leipzig have always relied on their young and pacy attackers for mounting effective counter-attacks to create goal-scoring opportunities. One such player who has made an impact this season in the final third for Leipzig is Christopher Nkunku, who had the most assist for the club in the Bundesliga this season.
Nkuku has played a wide variety of roles under Nagelsmann this term, operating as an attacking midfielder, winger and even a lone striker at times. But against Atletico Madrid, it is expected that he will play behind the striker, preferably on the left, which would allow him to cut inside on his right foot and create chances aplenty.
The task of keeping the former PSG player in check will invariably fall on Atletico Madrid's right-back Kieran Trippier. The former Tottenham star has improved his defensive contribution under Simeone. He will have to be alert against Nkuku to make sure that the Leipzig man does not get to stray too deep into opposition territory while attacking down the flank.
#4: Jose Gimenez (Atletico Madrid) vs Patrik Schick (Leipzig)
Had Timo Werner still been with Leipzig, his battle against Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez would've been one of the key ones on the pitch. Nonetheless, Patrik Schick will have his task cut out against Gimenez as the Champions League debutants look to extend their stay in the competition this season.
Gimenez has spent a lot of time on the sidelines in 2019-20 due to an injury. However, he is now back in the fold and will likely play a central role in the Atletico Madrid defence for the remainder of the season.
Schick has not scored in the Champions League in three appearances. But he was the only Leipzig player to reach a double-digit goal tally in the Bundesliga other than Timo Werner, a fact that will not be lost on Atletico Madrid.
Also Read: 6 managers with the most Champions League trophies.
#3: Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid) vs Dayet Upamenaco (Leipzig)
Alvaro Morata was Los Colchoneros' top scorer in the La Liga this season and also leads the way in the Champions League.
Simeone's men were lacklustre in the final third and only scored 51 goals in the Spanish top flight, but to win against Nagelsmann's team, who like to press and score on counter-attacks, they will need Morata to step up.
Well, Morata will have to overcome the challenge of Leipzig's 21-year-old defender Dayet Upamenaco. The French international has grown leaps and bounds since his first season at the club in 2017 and is now the most important player in the Bundesliga club's three-man defence. Upamecano is calm in possession, makes timely tackles, and despite his young age, is strong for his opponents.
Morata has a lot of experience playing in the Champions League. Upamenaco is still pretty inexperienced in the competition, and that might prove to be his undoing in his battle with the Spanish striker.
#2: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid) vs Marcel Halstenberg (Leipzig)
Joao Felix may have failed to live up to the hype in his debut season at Atletico Madrid, but his sheer talent makes him one of the players to watch out for in the Champions League clash against Leipzig.
In the knockout stage of the competition, all it takes is a moment of brilliance in the ninety minutes to win the game. His ability to do so is what makes Felix so dangerous, but his lack of experience may prove to be his biggest hindrance in this regard.
In Thursday's fixture, the 20-year-old is likely to come up against Leipzig's Marcel Halstenberg, a left-back who has operated as a centre-back for the majority of the ongoing season.
As a natural full-back, Halstenberg is much more comfortable going forward the flanks and linking up with his attackers, but against Felix, he will have to exhibit his defensive side as well.
The Leipzig player might just come out on top of the Portuguese as he is strong in aerial duels and unlike most of the centre-halves Felix has faced, Halstenberg has the pace to keep up with the Portuguese sensation.
#1: Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid) vs Marcel Sabitzer (Leipzig)
Atletico Madrid and Leipzig have not been very prolific in the Champions League this season, which could make for a low-scoring encounter. And if that would be the case, it is in midfield where the game will be won.
Both the clubs have talented midfielders in their ranks: Koke and Saul Niguez for Atletico Madrid and Marcel Sabitzer, Kevin Kampl and Dani Olmo for Leipzig. Saul and Sabitzer have been the most influential midfielders for their clubs this season, and the duo could play a key role in the Champions League quarterfinal as well.
While Saul is a solid box-to-box midfielder, Sabitzer is an excellent attacking midfielder, and thus they are bound to engage in a potentially key battle in midfield on Thursday.
Saul has won a whopping 4.4 aerial duels per 90 in the Champions League this season and has made two tackles per game as well. He has the game to dominate Sabitzer who relies mostly on his quick feet to get past his marker.
Also Read: RB Leipzig vs Atletico Madrid prediction, preview, team news and more | UEFA Champions League 2019-20.
