2026-27 UEFA Champions League: League Phase – Atletico Madrid vs Man Utd

Atletico Madrid face a tricky league-phase test against Manchester United in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League.

Victory could lift Atletico as high as the top eight depending on results elsewhere, whilst Man Utd can go top with a win.

 

Team News

Atletico Madrid have no fresh injury concerns to report coming into this match after their 2-1 La Liga victory at Alaves.

Man Utd will be without Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw after the pair suffered unspecified injuries during their 1-1 draw against Tottenham in the Premier League.

Matthijs de Ligt has travelled as he continues his recovery from a back injury but is unlikely to feature in the line-up.

Benjamin Sesko (shin), Tom Heaton, Patrick Dorgu (both hamstring), Noussair Mazraoui (back) and Manuel Ugarte (knee) are still absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Atletico Madrid host Man Utd at Metropolitano Stadium on Tuesday 13 October at 9pm CEST (8pm BST), live on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Atletico Madrid are yet to lose to Man Utd in the Champions League (W1, D1).
• Man Utd drew 1-1 in their only previous Champions League trip to Atletico in February 2022.
• Atletico are yet to taste defeat against Man Utd in all UEFA competitions (W2, D2).
• Atletico won just one of six meetings against English opposition in this competition last season (W1, D1, L4), but crucially didn’t lose their two home games despite not keeping a clean sheet (W1, D1).
• Man Utd have lost one of their last five away trips to Spanish opposition in all UEFA competitions (W2, D2, L1).

 

Prediction

Having been edged out by Liverpool in their opening league-phase fixture last month, Atletico will view this as winnable because they have more firepower and form than Utd but they can’t afford to underestimate the threats that Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in particular will bring.

Utd also are yet to win away from home this season and after a scrappy draw against Spurs in which they conceded in injury time, this is a big test of where they’re currently in performance terms under Michael Carrick compared to a top team like Atletico.

If Utd are to honestly get anything from this, they have to be clinical and rock solid defensively throughout, but I just think that Atletico will be too strong here.

Prediction: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Man Utd