Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United: Preview, Team News, H2H & Lineups

Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Kick-off is at 22:00 EAT, with Atlético looking for their first league-phase points and United trying to build on a 4-0 opening win over Sabah.

Check the latest available football markets on SportPesa Kenya. For the wider competition schedule, results and format, see our Champions League fixtures and results guide.

Atlético began their campaign with a 2-1 defeat away to Liverpool. Manchester United started with a 4-0 home win over Sabah, giving Michael Carrick’s side three points and the stronger opening result.

For confirmed lineups, the live score and match updates once the game starts, use SP Score.

UEFA has appointed Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg for the fixture.

Atlético come into the game with four consecutive wins across all competitions after their Champions League defeat at Liverpool.

Their recent run includes victories over Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Real Madrid and Alavés, with Diego Simeone’s side responding strongly to the back-to-back September defeats against Athletic Club and Liverpool.

Manchester United arrive in very different domestic form.

United opened their Champions League campaign by beating Sabah 4-0, but their league form has been far less convincing. Michael Carrick’s side recently drew 1-1 with Tottenham and have gone four matches without a win across all competitions.

That contrast gives this fixture a clear form narrative: Atlético arrive with momentum, while United are trying to reproduce their European form despite domestic problems.

ALSO READ: Man United vs Sabah: Champions League Preview, Team News, Lineups & H2H

Atlético enter Matchday 2 with a fully available senior squad.

Pablo Barrios and Alexander Sørloth have returned from injury, while Arnau Ortiz is available again after serving a European suspension. Julián Álvarez also increased his minutes at the weekend as he continues building match fitness.

Manchester United have more problems to manage.

Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo have not travelled after picking up issues against Tottenham.

Patrick Dorgu, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte and Benjamin Šeško also remain unavailable.

Matthijs de Ligt has travelled with the squad after a long spell out, giving Carrick another defensive option.

Atlético are expected to use a 4-4-2 or a closely related shape.

Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Dávid Hancko, Alejandro Grimaldo; Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Koke, Ademola Lookman; Jonathan David, Álex Baena.

United’s selection has changed following the latest injury update.

Senne Lammens; Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martínez, Diogo Dalot; Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba; Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha; Bryan Mbeumo.

These remain predicted teams.

Check SP Score once the official starting XIs are announced.

Manchester United have never beaten Atlético Madrid in UEFA competition.

Across their four European meetings, Atlético have recorded two wins and two draws.

The most recent competitive tie came in the 2021/22 Champions League round of 16. The first leg in Madrid finished 1-1 before Atlético won 1-0 at Old Trafford.

UEFA’s Champions League-only database records Atlético with one win and one draw from the two 2021/22 meetings, while the wider UEFA history also includes their 1991 Cup Winners’ Cup tie.

Several competition trends add useful context to the game:

• Atlético are unbeaten in their four previous UEFA meetings with Manchester United.
• Atlético have never won a Champions League group-stage or league-phase match against an English club, drawing four and losing seven.
• Manchester United have lost only one of their last 11 matches against Spanish opposition, with seven wins and three draws.
• None of United’s last 49 UEFA club competition matches have finished 0-0.
• Atlético have scored before half-time in 11 of their last 12 Champions League home league-phase/group-stage games.

Atlético’s Matchday 1 numbers against Liverpool included 50% possession and 89% passing accuracy, although they conceded twice and finished without a clean sheet.

Those numbers fit the wider matchup: Atlético have been strong domestically but still need their first Champions League points, while United arrive with a strong European opening result despite poor domestic form.

Álvarez gives Atlético a forward who can move across the attacking line and press from the front.

He also knows English opposition well from his time at Manchester City, where he won all three Premier League matches he played against United before losing the 2024 FA Cup final.

Baena provides creativity between midfield and attack.

His ability to receive centrally or drift into wider positions gives Atlético another way to create behind United’s midfield line.

Fernandes remains United’s main creative reference point.

With Mainoo unavailable and Carrick likely to change his midfield structure, Fernandes’ ability to receive higher up the pitch becomes even more important.

Mbeumo could again be used centrally with Šeško unavailable.

His movement and pace give United a direct outlet when they regain possession and look to attack Atlético before the hosts can reset.

Atlético’s likely 4-4-2 gives Simeone two compact lines without the ball and several options when possession turns over.

The wide midfielders can move inside, allowing the full-backs to advance, while the two forwards give Atlético targets for quicker attacks through central areas.

United are expected to use a 4-2-3-1.

The absence of Mainoo means Tielemans and Baleba could form the deeper midfield pair, with Fernandes operating ahead of them.

One of the main questions is whether United can play through Atlético’s compact midfield without leaving themselves exposed when possession is lost.

Atlético will also look to attack the spaces around United’s full-backs, especially with Shaw, Dorgu and Mazraoui unavailable.

At the other end, Mbeumo’s pace could become important if United can bypass Atlético’s first press and attack before Simeone’s side recover their shape.

Manchester United enter Matchday 2 with three points after beating Sabah 4-0.

Atlético are still looking for their first point after losing 2-1 at Liverpool.

The full league table changes as Matchday 2 games are completed.

See our Champions League standings guide for the qualification structure, and use SP Score for the current table.

Once the match starts, SP Score provides the latest:

• live score;
• confirmed starting lineups;
• goals and cards;
• substitutions;
• match events;
• possession and other live statistics;
• final result;
• Champions League standings.

The fixture brings together two teams in very different current situations.

Atlético have won four matches in a row and have a fully available squad, but they are still looking for their first Champions League points after losing at Liverpool.

United have already collected three European points, yet their domestic form and injury list make this away game a different test.

The H2H record also favours Atlético historically, while United’s strong recent record against Spanish opposition points in the opposite direction.

Rather than publishing a final-score tip, the useful factors to compare are current form, squad availability, H2H, Atlético’s home patterns and United’s European record against Spanish clubs.

Where available, SportPesa’s prediction tools can be used alongside those match factors.

Check SportPesa Kenya for the latest Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United markets and prices.

Available options can include:

• 3 Way / Match Result;
• Double Chance;
• Over/Under 2.5 Goals;
• Both Teams to Score;
• handicap markets;
• other pre-match football markets.

If you want a breakdown of how these options work, see our Football Betting Markets guide.

Current prices and available markets can change before kick-off, so check SportPesa Kenya Football when viewing the fixture.

Once the game is underway, the available live markets can change with the score, cards, substitutions and other match events.

Use SP Score for the match updates and SportPesa Kenya for the live markets available at the time.

The match takes place on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.

Kick-off is at 22:00 EAT.

The match is at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid.

Michael Carrick is Manchester United’s head coach.

Diego Simeone is Atlético Madrid’s head coach.

Atlético are unbeaten in four previous UEFA meetings with Manchester United, with two wins and two draws.

Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Patrick Dorgu, Noussair Mazraoui, Manuel Ugarte and Benjamin Šeško are unavailable. Matthijs de Ligt has travelled after returning from a long injury absence.

Check SP Score when the official teams are released.

SP Score provides live scores, lineups, match events, statistics, results and updated standings.

Current football markets are available on SportPesa Kenya.

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Atlético arrive with four straight wins and a strong historical record against Manchester United, but they still need their first Champions League points of the season.

United travel to Madrid after a convincing European opener but with several important absences and a difficult domestic run.

The matchup will depend heavily on whether United can play through Atlético’s compact midfield and how well Carrick’s reshaped defence deals with Simeone’s attacking options.

Check SP Score when the official teams are announced and follow the match updates there as the game develops. The latest available Atlético Madrid vs Manchester United markets are on SportPesa Kenya.

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