Good news for us if true.
Aguero to miss Champions League tie
I've just come from the Atletico Madrid training ground where the under fire coach, Javier Aguirre, has been preparing his side for Wednesday's Champions league clash with Liverpool. It appears very likely that, after seeing his side go down to their third consecutive defeat in La Liga on Saturday evening, Aguirre is ready to make 8 changes to the side that lost to Real Madrid at the weekend.
However, the big news is that Atletico's most influential player, Sergio 'Kun' Aguero appears very likely to miss the Liverpool match. Aguero has been looking tired for a while, performing below par - although still hugely influential- and is carrying a niggling injury which he claimed on Friday was not a problem. Aguirre had threatened to rest him for the game against Real Madrid, warning the press that Aguero was seriously fatigued after a 13 hour flight.
And, if Aguirre's formation in training today was a faithful reflection of how he intends to line up against Liverpool, then it seems that Aguero will be missing Wednesday's game as well. While the rest of the players took part in match practice, Aguero was receiving treatment and doing some stretching on the sidelines. I spoke with a couple of Atleti players at the end of the session and they were also under the impression that the starting line up in training today was going to be the same for the Champions league tie.
If that is the case, then Atletico Madrid will look something like this on Wednesday evening against Liverpool: Coupet GK; Seitaridis (RB) Antonio López (LB); Domínguez and Perea (CB); Camacho and Maniche (CM); Simao and Luis Garcia down the flanks; with Diego Forlán and Sinama Pongolle in attack.
Aguero may be exhausted, but making such wholesale changes to the side (only Perea, Maniche and Forlán started against Madrid) is a bold move for Aguirre who is coming in for severe criticism over his choice of tactics and team selections.Many questioned his decision to leave out his wide players, Simao Sabrosa and Luis Garcia, against Real Madrid in favour of two central midfielders, Éver Banega and Paulo Assunção - and just two weeks earlier Aguirre admitted making a real mess of his preparations for the 6-1 thrashing at Barcelona.This was preceded by a home defeat to Sevilla the week before and now Aguirre finds himself fighting to keep his job.
Reports in Spain suggest that a defeat to Liverpool, followed by a reverse against Villarreal next weekend, could result in Aguirre being sacked.
Aguero may very well be exhausted and unable to play, but that will not stop Aguirre's decision to leave him out of the Liverpool game from being the focus of some very heated debate in the Spanish capital over the next few days.
What are your views?
Atletico fans, what do you make of Aguirre's match preparations? Why are you conceding so many early goals? Personally I'm concerned about the sides over-dependance upon Aguero as, without him, the side lacks personality.
And Liverpool fans, how much of a boost will it be if Aguero misses out. Let me know...
http://www.guillembalague.com/blog_d...e%20tie&id=107
I've just come from the Atletico Madrid training ground where the under fire coach, Javier Aguirre, has been preparing his side for Wednesday's Champions league clash with Liverpool. It appears very likely that, after seeing his side go down to their third consecutive defeat in La Liga on Saturday evening, Aguirre is ready to make 8 changes to the side that lost to Real Madrid at the weekend.
However, the big news is that Atletico's most influential player, Sergio 'Kun' Aguero appears very likely to miss the Liverpool match. Aguero has been looking tired for a while, performing below par - although still hugely influential- and is carrying a niggling injury which he claimed on Friday was not a problem. Aguirre had threatened to rest him for the game against Real Madrid, warning the press that Aguero was seriously fatigued after a 13 hour flight.
And, if Aguirre's formation in training today was a faithful reflection of how he intends to line up against Liverpool, then it seems that Aguero will be missing Wednesday's game as well. While the rest of the players took part in match practice, Aguero was receiving treatment and doing some stretching on the sidelines. I spoke with a couple of Atleti players at the end of the session and they were also under the impression that the starting line up in training today was going to be the same for the Champions league tie.
If that is the case, then Atletico Madrid will look something like this on Wednesday evening against Liverpool: Coupet GK; Seitaridis (RB) Antonio López (LB); Domínguez and Perea (CB); Camacho and Maniche (CM); Simao and Luis Garcia down the flanks; with Diego Forlán and Sinama Pongolle in attack.
Aguero may be exhausted, but making such wholesale changes to the side (only Perea, Maniche and Forlán started against Madrid) is a bold move for Aguirre who is coming in for severe criticism over his choice of tactics and team selections.Many questioned his decision to leave out his wide players, Simao Sabrosa and Luis Garcia, against Real Madrid in favour of two central midfielders, Éver Banega and Paulo Assunção - and just two weeks earlier Aguirre admitted making a real mess of his preparations for the 6-1 thrashing at Barcelona.This was preceded by a home defeat to Sevilla the week before and now Aguirre finds himself fighting to keep his job.
Reports in Spain suggest that a defeat to Liverpool, followed by a reverse against Villarreal next weekend, could result in Aguirre being sacked.
Aguero may very well be exhausted and unable to play, but that will not stop Aguirre's decision to leave him out of the Liverpool game from being the focus of some very heated debate in the Spanish capital over the next few days.
What are your views?
Atletico fans, what do you make of Aguirre's match preparations? Why are you conceding so many early goals? Personally I'm concerned about the sides over-dependance upon Aguero as, without him, the side lacks personality.
And Liverpool fans, how much of a boost will it be if Aguero misses out. Let me know...
http://www.guillembalague.com/blog_d...e%20tie&id=107
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