UEFA Europa League
play pause open Close
 
Played
March 8, 2012 6:00 PM GMT
Estadio Vicente Calderón — Madrid
Referee:‬ J. Eriksson‎
Attendance:‬ 27431‎
 
24′ Toto Salvio
Simão 53′
27′ Toto Salvio
 
37′ Adrián
 

Atletico Madrid - Besiktas Preview: Diego Simeone's side out to deny visitors first win on Spanish soil

Los Colchoneros will be hoping to claim a first-leg advantage against Carlos Carvalhal's outfit, who come into this Europa League tie on the back of three straight defeats

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Atletico Madrid, Besiktas, Atletico Madrid vs Besiktas

PROBABLE LINEUPS

ATLETICO MADRID

Courtois
Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe
Suarez, Tiago
Adrian, Gabi, Koke
Falcao
BESIKTAS

Gonen
Toraman, Sivok, Sidnei, Gulum
Kavlak, Ernst, Uysal
Quaresma, Simao
Pektemek

Atletico Madrid trio Antonio Lopez, Diego and Arda Turan will almost certainly sit out Thursday's Europa League last-16 first-leg clash with Besiktas due to injury.

Brazilian midfielder Paulo Assuncao is suspended, while Radamel Falcao and Diego Godin are available for selection having missed Saturday's draw at Sevilla through suspension.

Besiktas, who lost 2-1 to city rivals Trabzonspor at the weekend, will be without injured duo Egemen Korkmaz and Roberto Hilbert for the trip to the Spanish capital. Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida is also sidelined with a problem in his right knee he picked up in the last league game of the team.


 DID YOU KNOW?
  • Atletico Madrid have never lost to Turkish opposition at the Vicente Calderon (W2 D3). Their overall record against Turkish sides is W6 D3 L1.
  • Los Colchoneros have won their last six European home games, since losing 3-2 to Aris Thessaloniki in last season's Europa League group stage.
  • The 2010 Europa League winners have suffered just one defeat since Diego Simeone was appointed coach in December - a 2-1 loss to Barcelona on 26 February.
  • Besiktas have never won on Spanish soil in seven attempts (D1 L6).
  • The Black Eagles have won just two of their last nine matches in all competitions.
  • Simao (pictured right) scored 20 goals in 113 Liga games for Atletico between 2007 and 2010.

Follow Goal.com on Twitter

Follow Goal.com on Facebook
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Atletico Madrid 2-0 Besiktas
    17.03 %
  • Atletico Madrid 1-2 Besiktas
    14.6 %
  • Atletico Madrid 3-0 Besiktas
    10.54 %
Head to Head
UEFA Europa League ‎(EL)‎ Mar 15, 2012 Besiktas 0 - Atletico Madrid 3
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
UEFA Europa League ‎(EL)‎ Mar 8, 2012 Atletico Madrid 3 - Besiktas 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Last Five Matches
Atletico Madrid
May 22, 2013Singapore Selection 0 - Atletico Madrid 2FR
May 17, 2013Real Madrid CF 1 - Atletico Madrid 2ESPC
May 12, 2013Atletico Madrid 1 - FC Barcelona 2LIGA
May 8, 2013Celta 1 - Atletico Madrid 3LIGA
May 4, 2013Deportivo 0 - Atletico Madrid 0LIGA
Besiktas
May 19, 2013Kayserispor 2 - Besiktas 0TUR1
May 11, 2013Besiktas 3 - Gençlerbirliği SK 0TUR1
May 5, 2013Eskişehirspor 1 - Besiktas 2TUR1
Apr 27, 2013Besiktas 2 - Orduspor 0TUR1
Apr 20, 2013Akhisar Bld. 4 - Besiktas 1TUR1
Odds
Returns: Atl. Madrid £13.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Returns: Draw £460.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Beşiktaş £710.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Team News
Available Squads
13Thibaut CourtoisGoalkeeper
2Diego Godín LealDefender
6Filipe LuisDefender
20JuanfranMidfielder
14L. PereaDefender
4Mario SuárezMidfielder
8Toto SalvioMidfielder
14GabiMidfielder
19KokeMidfielder
7AdriánStriker
9Radamel FalcaoStriker
25Sergio AsenjoGoalkeeper
15Álvaro DomínguezDefender
23MirandaDefender
-A. OueslatiMidfielder
-SaúlMidfielder
9PizziStriker
-Pedro MartínStriker
1Cenk GönenGoalkeeper
5Ibrahim ToramanDefender
6Tomas SivokDefender
2Egemen KorkmazDefender
4Manuel FernandesMidfielder
7QuaresmaMidfielder
8Veli KavlakMidfielder
18Necip UysalMidfielder
11SimãoMidfielder
24Fabian ErnstMidfielder
11Mustafa PektemekStriker
1Rüştü ReçberGoalkeeper
3İsmail KöybaşıDefender
23Ekrem DağMidfielder
27SidneiDefender
-Júlio AlvesMidfielder
37Filip HološkoStriker
9EduStriker
Players to Watch
Radamel Falcao
Radamel Falcao
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
3 1 1 0
Atletico's record signing has scored five goals in the Europa League this campaign, two fewer than top scorer Matias Suarez. The Colombian will want to emulate his heroics of last season, when his record European tally of 17 goals helped Porto win the competition.
Simão
Simão
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 11
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The Portuguese veteran knows Atletico well, having plied his trade at the Vicente Calderon for three years, during which he helped them win the inaugural edition of the Europa League. The former Benfica star scored against Sporting Braga in the previous round, and he will be raring to go against his former employers.
Prediction
The absence of Diego and Turan is a blow for home side, who are without a win in La Liga since January. However, the visitors are going through a wretched run of results themselves, and Atletico will fancy their chances of taking a lead to Istanbul for the second leg.
Editor's Prediction
Atl. Madrid 1
Beşiktaş 0
Results
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Libor Kozák Libor Kozák
Striker
Lazio 		10 0
Ó. Cardozo Ó. Cardozo
Striker
Benfica 		8 3
Rodrigo Palacio Rodrigo Palacio
Striker
Inter 		8 0
Eto'o Eto'o
Striker
Anji Makhachkal 		7 2
Edinson Cavani Edinson Cavani
Striker
Napoli 		7 2