Atletico Madrid Need Yannick Carrasco, Not Vietto, in Champions League Attack

Fernando Torres' red card against Barcelona in Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match didn't just turn Atletico Madrid's fortunes; it also gave rise to a dilemma for the second leg for manager Diego Simeone.

The boss will be without his most experienced attacker in a crucial game, not to mention Torres has an excellent scoring record against the Blaugrana, including netting against them in La Liga earlier this term and, of course, less than 10 minutes before he was red-carded in Europe.

Simeone has options, but he should be looking to Belgian flyer Yannick Carrasco to fill the void left by Torres' absence.

Carrasco, off the Ball

Atletico's game plan in the second leg of the quarter-final is likely to be an extension of their first-leg approach at the Camp Nou: press high initially, force Barca backward, then drop into a deep block when bypassed, two lines of four making it hard for the Catalan side to play through.

In both aspects of this defensive work, Carrasco is the superior choice to Luciano Vietto; while the Argentinian isn't workshy, he doesn't have the aggression or the acceleration of Carrasco to close down defenders as quickly or to recover his position when the first pass is made.

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Equally, Carrasco is a more versatile option who can drop wide at times and become a fifth midfielder, as Atleti did at times in the first leg. Once possession is won, it's inevitably Carrasco who, along with Antoine Griezmann, is the out-ball Atletico search for as a result of his ability to change direction and pace at short notice, opening up the pitch and seeking out space.

Carrasco, on the Ball

There has been some criticism directed the way of Vietto this season because he hasn't hit the back of the net with regularity, but in truth, he has been reasonably important to Atleti's build-up play at times. His best work comes when he is able to sneak behind the defensive line, particularly in the channels of the penalty box, and slide balls across the six-yard box, often presenting scoring chances for others.

It's not going to be enough against Barcelona, though. He's not likely to get too many chances in behind the defence, either.

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Carrasco attacks from the other side of the defensive line, running directly at the back four, attacking the space behind the midfielders after either dribbling past them or reacting quickest following turnovers in possession. His change of direction and ability to use both feet makes him tough to stop on the run without fouling, and Barcelona have already struggled with him twice this season.

Good link play and an end product, often a shot or a through pass, further make Carrasco the ideal candidate to play in attack on this occasion and leave a solid, compact midfield base behind.

Alternative and Dress Rehearsal

Should Carrasco and Griezmann start in attack, it necessitates another body in midfield; Gabi, Koke and Saul Niguez are sure starters, leaving Simeone a choice for the fourth. Augusto Fernandez is the obvious choice, playing centrally with Gabi and having the homegrown duo as the narrow wide options with licence to attack. It has worked before and offers a near-ideal blend of tenacity and technical ability, but Augusto has not been at his best.

Thomas Partey is a consideration on account of his ability to break forward with tremendous pace and power, supporting the counter-attack, but Simeone isn't likely to trust him to start the match.

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The alternative is Angel Correa, who is usually a super-sub for Atleti on account of his inconsistency. But when he's on his game, he is a phenomenal young talent. Aggressive, good at dribbling past defenders and capable of pulling shots out of tight angles, Correa is a big offensive weapon to bring to the game and could also allow more tactical flexibility in the starting XI on this occasion.

Griezmann, Correa and Carrasco all starting seems overly offensive for Atleti to face Barcelona with, but the midfield trio of Gabi, Koke and Saul is as conscientious as any—and Atletico do need a goal on the night. A 1-0 win would see them through to the semi-finals on away goals, so as much as they don't want to risk going all-out too early, they will need attacking threats from all angles.

Correa is probably going to play some part during the night on account of his battling traits and pace on the break, but it is Carrasco who has emerged as one of the most important parts of Atletico's team and who will be key to beating Barcelona.

As for getting an idea of how well they can piece together the team, Atletico couldn't ask for a much better dress rehearsal than the fixture they have on Saturday: another match in Catalonia, away to Espanyol, who will match Atleti for tenacity and battling qualities and who have form on their side without a loss in four.

Progression for Atletico in Europe is unlikely but far from impossible, and Carrasco needs to be released fully to exploit some of Barcelona's few weaknesses, the gaps in their back line and slow turnaround after losing possession.

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