Group B of the Club World Cup is heating up fast, and we’re only in the second round. This Thursday, Seattle Sounders and Atlético de Madrid meet at Lumen Field in a match that already feels like a knockout. For both sides, the margin for error is gone.
A loss here is almost certainly the end of the road. Even a draw does little. It just delays the inevitable. Both clubs opened the tournament with losses and now have no choice but to win if they want to keep their shot at reaching the knockout rounds alive.
Seattle leaning on home support
Seattle Sounders may have fallen short against Botafogo, but the second half gave them something to build on. They pushed hard, kept the pressure up, and nearly equalized. Inside the locker room, the mood isn’t defeat. It’s unfinished business.
The sense is that a comeback was coming, just not fast enough. With that in mind, head coach Brian Schmetzer is making changes. Three starters are likely out. Kim, still recovering and not training this week, should be replaced by John Bell. In the midfield, Reed Baker-Whiting comes in for Nouhou. Up front, Rothrock gets the nod over Kent. The message is simple. Start strong, feed off the crowd, and take control from the first minute.
Atleti on edge after a brutal debut
Things look even rougher on Atlético de Madrid’s side. A 4-0 blowout loss to PSG in their opener left the Spanish club reeling, bottom of the group and short on answers. On top of that, center back Lenglet picked up a red card and is suspended. The only confirmed change is likely to be Giménez stepping into the back line. Other than that, the structure stays the same. The issue is, it didn’t work.
Confidence has clearly taken a hit, but Simeone seems determined to stick to his usual plan. Atlético will sit deep, stay compact, and look to punish mistakes. The challenge is that this setup only works when the defense is locked in and emotions are under control. Neither of those were present against PSG. Now, with everything on the line, they’ll need both if they want to survive.