Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United Preview: Carrick Seeks a Lift in Madrid
Atlético Madrid host Manchester United at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday 13 October 2026 in the second round of the Champions League league phase. Kick-off is at 10 pm Kenyan time (7 pm GMT).
Two sides coming off different openers
Atlético lost 2-1 at Liverpool on matchday one. Manchester United started their campaign with a 4-0 win over Sabah FK, a result that has done little to settle a difficult domestic run: Michael Carrick's side have won only one of their first six Premier League games this season.
United's recent league results include a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, a 3-2 loss to Brighton and 1-1 draws with Fulham and Tottenham. Atlético, by contrast, have won three of their last five, including a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid and a 4-0 win over Osasuna, with a 3-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao the exception.
Manchester United's team news
Carrick has fitness questions to answer.
Kobbie Mainoo missed Monday morning training with no reason given, a day after playing the full 90 minutes of the draw with Tottenham. Luke Shaw also missed the session, which the club described as a planned rest day, but he left the Tottenham game in stoppage time and had already missed the Sabah match with an injury.
Benjamin Šeško is facing another spell out with a recurring shin problem. There is some good news in midfield, with Carlos Baleba, who has been absent since his summer arrival with an ankle injury, recently featuring in a closed-door training match.
What Atlético bring
Diego Simeone's team have scored 12 goals in their last five matches in all competitions, and Alejandro Grimaldo has scored in three of their last four games. At home they have a strong European record, having won nine of their last 11 league-phase matches at the Metropolitano.
History
The clubs have met several times recently. United won 2-1 in a pre-season friendly in August 2026. In competitive football, Atlético won 1-0 at Old Trafford in their 2022 Champions League tie after a 1-1 draw in Madrid.
With Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha expected to lead United's attack, and Atlético's Jan Oblak behind a settled defence, the night will test whether Carrick's side can carry their European form into a tough away fixture.
View our predictions for this match: Atletico Madrid vs Manchester United, Tuesday 13th October
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