Atletico Madrid - Manchester United

Julian Alvarez arrives at this Champions League matchday 2 fixture in clinical form, spearheading an Atletico Madrid attack that recently secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves. Under the guidance of their expected XI, the hosts have shown significant resilience in recent weeks, bouncing back from a narrow European defeat to Liverpool by maintaining a strong domestic run. With Jan Oblak anchoring the defense and Alvarez partnering Jonathan David up front, Atletico Madrid look to leverage their home advantage at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano to secure vital points in the group stage.

Manchester United travel to Spain facing a challenging period after consecutive draws against Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham. While they opened their European campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Sabah FK, the visitors are currently contending with the absences of Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui. Bruno Fernandes remains the creative heartbeat for the expected XI, tasked with unlocking a disciplined home side. Having previously met in the 2022 knockout stages, both teams understand the intensity required for this European encounter.