Benfica, a tough obstacle to move past the derby

Sports regain prominence at Atlético, which, still reeling from the Madrid derby and the shameful incidents caused by the red-and-white ultras at the Metropolitano, travels to Lisbon to face Benfica, a tough obstacle on the road to the round of 16 of the revamped Champions League.

At Da Luz, Cholo Simeone's team aims to continue their winning streak following their victory against Leipzig in their Champions League debut. They are moving past the duel with their eternal rival despite the looming threat of partial closure over their home ground. The match against Real Madrid also resulted in Le Normand's absence due to a traumatic brain injury with a subdural hematoma caused by a head collision with his compatriot Tchouaméni.

The reliable Witsel's entry into the defense and captain Koke's return to midfield suggest changes in an Atlético lineup where the daring formula with three attackers is not expected again. Sorloth is likely to be benched after a lackluster derby, which, despite Correa's impressive performance as a substitute, would leave Atlético's offensive threat in the hands of Griezmann and Julián Álvarez, who is increasingly approaching his expected decisive form.

Meanwhile, Benfica aims to regain their impressive European form from the 2022-23 season, when they reached the Champions League quarter-finals after an impeccable group stage, leaving behind last season's disappointment when they were eliminated early. The Portuguese team, led by German Roger Schmidt, relies on the wings with veteran Di María's speed and Turkish Kerem Aktürkoglu's talent, who scored the first goal in their victory against Red Star Belgrade at Belgrade's Little Maracanã.

Benfica: Trubin, Bah, Silva, Otamendi, Carreras, Aursnes, Florentino, Kokçu, Di María, Pavlidis, and Aktürkoglu.

Atlético: Oblak, Llorente, Witsel, Giménez, Reinildo, Lino, De Paul, Koke, Gallagher, Griezmann, and Julián Álvarez.

Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk (Netherlands).

Stadium: Da Luz (Lisbon).

Time and TV: 21:00 h. Movistar Liga de Campeones 2.