Denied by a dramatic last-gasp equaliser on the opening day, Atletico Madrid aim for their first Champions League Group E win on Wednesday, when Feyenoord arrive in the Spanish capital.
While Atleti have won all three of their league matches since coming up just short against Lazio, their Dutch counterparts followed victory over Celtic by extending their own success streak to six games.
Match preview
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Forever to be remembered as victims of an iconic Champions League moment, Atletico Madrid saw dreams of starting their 2023-24 European campaign with three points dashed by a 94th-minute equaliser at Stadio Olimpico.
Leading Lazio last month, thanks to a Pablo Barrios goal in the first half, Diego Simeone's side were pegged back by an extraordinary intervention from the hosts' goalkeeper Ivan Provedel, who rose like a salmon and headed past opposite number Jan Oblak to snatch a point for the Biancocelesti.
Atletico have now won just two of their last 11 Champions League group matches, but the response to such a setback has been admirable: five days later, they bounced back by beating arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-1 in La Liga, and subsequent defeats of Osasuna and Cadiz have since lifted them up to fourth in their domestic standings.
Well aware that few more slip-ups can be tolerated in a competitive section, Simeone presided over a rare group-stage elimination last year and is under pressure to avoid dropping down into the Europa League this season, or worse - finishing fourth again.
Having been thwarted at the last by his former club, the Argentine coach cannot contemplate losing at home to Eredivisie opposition this week, as Atletico approach their first competitive meeting with Feyenoord.
Aiming to end the club's longest winless streak in the Champions League since 2009, Simeone will expect his team to show the spirit they summoned up on Sunday, when Angel Correa struck twice as Atleti rallied from two goals down to defeat Cadiz.
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By comparison with their hosts at Madrid's Metropolitano, the pressure is off Feyenoord heading into their second Group E fixture, after Calvin Stengs and Alireza Jahanbakhsh both scored on their Champions League debut in a 2-0 win over Celtic last month.
As a result, the Dutch champions have won their last two games in Europe's top club competition - as many as in their previous 20 - but picking up more than a point away to Atletico Madrid would surely be seen as something of a bonus.
After six years away, Feyenoord are back on the biggest stage and determined to build on two good runs in UEFA's second and third tier tournaments, and early-season results suggest they can contend for a place in the knockout stages.
Including their win over nine-man Celtic at De Kuip, Arne Slot's side have scored 26 goals in their last six games and are unbeaten in eight; most recently seeing off Go Ahead Eagles with a 3-1 Eredivisie win on Saturday.
Star striker Santiago Gimenez was on target again at the weekend, following his hat-trick in the controversial Der Klassieker defeat of Ajax, but will be sidelined in Spain due to suspension.
By upsetting Atleti in his absence, Feyenoord can post consecutive wins to start a Champions League campaign for the first time, but they must overcome a dire away record in the competition to do so: they have lost seven of their last eight Champions League fixtures outside of De Kuip, including the last five in a row.
Team News
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Improving his options up front, Atletico coach Diego Simeone will have Alvaro Morata available after serving a suspension against Cadiz, and the Spain striker should displace Angel Correa despite the latter bagging a brace at the weekend.
Atleti will be without Pablo Barrios, Thomas Lemar, Caglar Soyuncu and Reinildo, but Rodrigo De Paul returned from injury at the weekend and took his place on a depleted bench; ex-PSV man Memphis Depay will now hope to recover in time to feature against Feyenoord.
Once again, Rodrigo Riquelme, Javi Galan and Samuel Lino all vie for a start on the left flank, but there is at least one certain starter in attack: Antoine Griezmann has been directly involved in 26 goals in 32 Champions League home matches for Los Colchoneros, scoring 19 times and adding seven assists.
Feyenoord, meanwhile, remain without leading marksman Santiago Gimenez this week, as the Mexican striker serves the second game of his two-match ban for being sent off in last season's Europa League quarter-final.
Ayase Ueda, who only recently returned from an injury suffered on international duty with Japan, is likely to deputise, though Newcastle United loanee Yankuba Minteh or Brazilian winger Igor Paixao could be moved inside instead.
Unavailable since picking up a knock against Celtic last month, Croatian forward Luka Ivanusec is not in contention for Wednesday's game. He joins first-choice goalkeeper Justin Bijlow on the sidelines; Timon Wellenreuther stands in again.
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Azpilicueta, Witsel, Hermoso; Molina, Saul, Koke, Llorente, Galan; Griezmann, Morata
Feyenoord possible starting lineup:
Wellenreuther; Geertruida, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman; Timber, Wieffer; Minteh, Stengs, Paixao; Ueda
We say: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Feyenoord
As Atletico Madrid have won just one of their last 11 home matches in the Champions League - drawing on no less than seven occasions - something must change soon or they risk a second straight group exit. With fearless Feyenoord lacking their star striker due to suspension, a window of opportunity now presents itself, so Simeone's men can edge to victory by the odd goal in three.
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Jonathan O'Shea
