PSV Takes the Temperature of Atlético

Atlético's clash against PSV is not just a match: it's a thermometer. A maturity test to determine if Simeone's team can bring their dominant form to high-stakes environments or if they remain an average team when away from their home crowd. So far this year, they have failed in the four major encounters at Anfield, Emirates Stadium, Camp Nou, and San Mamés, all ending in defeat and leaving a poor impression. Eindhoven awaits with the high demands of a team that hasn't lost in nearly three months—their last defeat was in mid-September against Union St. Gilloise—and Atlético must decide what temperature they want to show in Europe to either take a breath and rise or remain in intensive care.

Atlético must perform exceptionally well if they want to challenge a PSV that not only leads the Eredivisie with confidence but has also turned the Philips Stadion into a daunting visit. This is bad news for the red-and-whites, whose competitive edge away from the Metropolitano has yet to find the right temperature. In the Champions League, they have lost both away matches, and in the league, their last two away games have undone the progress made at home in November. Their reliability as visitors (two wins in the last ten outings) contrasts with their home dominance, having won all ten recent home matches. Which Atlético will we see in Eindhoven will be crucial to determine the balance of the match.

The equation is further complicated by the known absences of key players Marcos Llorente, Álex Baena, and José María Giménez, with Clément Lenglet also out due to a muscle strain in the last league match against Athletic. The only good news is Johnny Cardoso's return to the squad, although it's unlikely he'll start. Given this scenario, Simeone must field a team that competes consistently, remains solid on foreign soil, and finds the elusive goal away from Madrid. It's evident that their offensive production away from the Metropolitano has plummeted. Among the attackers, only Julián Álvarez has scored away—and that was back in August—while Griezmann, Sorloth, and Raspadori have yet to score as visitors.

Unlike Atlético, PSV does not suffer from creative crises or a lack of goals: they have dynamism on the flanks, second-line arrivals, and an offensive output that forces opponents to defend with constant vigilance. In the last five matches, they have scored 15 goals—including four against Liverpool at Anfield—and conceded only three. These numbers require the red-and-whites to be fully alert at the Philips Stadion if they want to earn points in a match that will serve as a thermometer to assess their health in Europe.

PSV: Kovar, Sergiño Dest, Schouten, Gasiorowski, Salah-Eddine, Wanner, Guus Til, Veerman, Dennis Man, Ricardo Pepi, and Saibari.

Atlético: Oblak, Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri, Koke, Barrios, Giuliano, Nico González, Griezmann, and Julián Álvarez.

Referee: Michael Oliver (England).

Time: 21:00. Stadium: Philips Stadion.

TV: Movistar Liga de Campeones 2.