The Seattle Sounders will continue the uphill climb of advancing out of Group B at the Club World Cup on Thursday, taking on an Atletico Madrid side that will be equally eager to pick up a win after both sides lost their opening matches of the Club World Cup.
The MLS side are a few days removed from a 2-1 loss to Botafogo on Sunday, taking 23 shots and posting more than two expected goals but still coming out on the losing side. Though it is unlikely that they would be eliminated from the competition with a loss, playing against one of the favorites to advance out of the group means their upcoming match may feel like an uphill climb in some ways.
That said, this game may come down to how Atletico respond to their loss on Sunday, a crushing 4-0 defeat to UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. One of the main storylines from that match was the weather in Southern California, with Marcos Llorente saying the heat impacted his ability to run and made his toenails hurt. The loss does not necessarily change the fact that Atletico are favored to reach the knockout stages, but they will need to dispel doubts by stringing together a convincing performance on Thursday, one that will put them in decent standing to progress.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch Seattle Sounders vs. Atletico Madrid, odds
- Date: Thursday, June 19 | Time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Lumen Field — Seattle, Washington
- Live stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: Seattle Sounders +850; Draw 420; Atletico Madrid -340
Player to watch
Julian Alvarez, Atletico Madrid: This match almost entirely hinges on how Atletico choose to approach it and if they want to make things as straightforward as possible, Julian Alvarez is the player to keep an eye on. He fit right in after joining last summer, scoring 29 goals in 55 matches across all competitions. Though he only managed one shot in the match against Paris Saint-Germain, he is as reliable as it gets for Atletico – and the cooler conditions in Seattle on Thursday should at least ensure that the heat will not impact his performance.
Storyline to watch
MLS’ rocky start: Atletico may have been on the wrong side of the Club World Cup’s most lopsided result so far but a rebound seems likely, while things may not be the same for MLS teams. The three U.S.-based teams in the competition – the Sounders, LAFC and Inter Miami – are winless to start the competition and at least for the Sounders, things may not get better from here. With matches against Atletico and PSG still on the schedule, advancing seems unlikely, though there’s reason to believe that they can at least muster a strong performance against their tired European foe, especially after a strong outing against Botafogo. As for Inter Miami and LAFC, only time will tell – the former are in a competitive group but did not do themselves any favors during a 0-0 draw against Al Ahly where they were arguably second-best, while there’s a question about how well LAFC will stack up against Esperance de Tunis and Flamengo after a loss to Chelsea.
Prediction
The stakes are the same for both the Sounders and Atletico as they both target their first win in the competition, but their abilities might not be. Expect the hosts to give it a go but still fall to a talented Atletico side that boasts not only Alvarez but Antoine Griezmann. Pick: Seattle Sounders 0, Atletico Madrid 2
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