Champions League - Gabi-Tiago: Unusual setback to Simeone

The coach of Atletico Madrid faces the third round of the Champions League without two of its pillars: Gabi and Tiago. In his nearly three years as Atletico coach only dispensed both in the starting lineup for technical reasons in encounters with little relevance.

Gabi, captain of Atletico Madrid, has joined Tiago Mendes and Cristian Ansaldi on the casualty list ahead of Atletico set to the third round of the Champions League. The Madrid team receives Malmoe at the Vicente Calderon and make a living very different from the usual machines.

In fact, Diego Pablo Simeone used to Gabi and Tiago as the axis of the core in 56 of his 160 games as coach of Atletico Madrid, 35%. In most other games, Mario Suarez was the player who accompanied one of the two missing in next game and just 10 games in his two captains disregarded.

In the midfield position have been players in the stage of Simeone as Assuncao, Emre or Guilavogui who have had to pack in the last years due to lack of opportunities as both Gabi and Tiago, with permission from Mario Suarez, have capitalized on most of the minute with very good performance.

Saul or Koke, alternative

With the almost certain presence of Mario Suarez in the starting lineup, need to know if Simeone accompany Alcobendas midfielder or a second bet on a line of engagement with the front most populous. Saul already started in the last Champions League match against Juventus, could be an option that would have little effect on the structure of the team. The youth already unfolded in that position for the past year on assignment to Rayo Vallecano.

The second track that shuffles Simeone is to delay the midfielder Koke or even keep him in line three, leaving single pivot Mario Suarez. The less difficult opponent, a priori, could lead to Argentina to use a more offensive system, ushering men like Antoine Griezmann.
- eurosport.yahoo.com