Atlético's chance to bounce back against Astana

After winning 21 of their previous 24 European home games, Club Atlético de Madrid were shocked to lose to SL Benfica on matchday two and will be looking to put matters right against FC Astana.

Match background

Atlético
• The 2014 finalists began their sixth group stage campaign with a 2-0 victory at Galatasaray AŞ but then succumbed 2-1 at home to SL Benfica, their first defeat at the Vicente Calderón since a 2-0 reverse to FC Rubin Kazan in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 in February 2013.

• Atlético are taking part in the competition for the third year in a row – the first time they have achieved that feat. This is the first time they have faced a Kazakhstan side.

• They put together four successive home victories in last season's tournament, winning their three group games in Madrid with a 10-0 aggregate score. They overcame Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1-0 at home in the round of 16 to draw the tie 1-1 on aggregate, winning the ensuing penalty shoot-out 3-2.

• The Rojiblancos then drew 0-0 at home to city rivals Real Madrid CF in the quarter-finals before bowing out 1-0 on aggregate.

Astana
• Astana, the first ever representatives from Kazakhstan to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage, lost 2-0 at Benfica on matchday one and then drew 2-2 at home with Galatasaray.

• Participation was secured with a 2-1 aggregate victory against APOEL FC in the play-off round. Nemanja Maksimović's dramatic equaliser six minutes from time in Cyprus proved decisive after Baurzhan Dzholchiyev had sealed a 1-0 first-leg success.

• In the third qualifying round Stanimir Stoilov's side won 4-3 at home against HJK Helsinki after a goalless away leg. In the previous round they defeated NK Maribor, winning 3-1 at home to overturn a 1-0 away reverse.

• Astana's only previous experience of tackling Spanish opponents was a sobering one – losing 3-0 at home and 4-0 away to Villarreal CF in last season's UEFA Europa League play-offs.

Coach and player links
• Antoine Griezmann scored in France's 3-0 win over Kazakhstan in the Astana Arena in a UEFA Under-21 European Championship qualifier on 8 June 2012. Dmitri Shomko, Baurzhan Dzholchiyev, Aleksei Schetkin, Abzal Beysebekov and Yeldos Akhmetov all played for the hosts.

• Tiago played in Portugal's 3-0 defeat of Kazakhstan in a UEFA EURO 2008 qualifier in Coimbra on 15 November 2006.

Match facts

Atlético
• Atlético won five of their first six games in all competitions this season but were without a victory in three before Sunday's 2-0 win at Real Sociedad de Fútbol, Yannick Carrasco scoring the second with his first goal for the club.

• Fernando Torres is on 99 goals for Atlético.

• Luciano Vietto's first goal for the club earned the Rojiblancos a 1-1 Liga draw against Real Madrid on 4 October.

• Óliver Torres scored and Saúl Ñíguez was sent off as Spain Under-21s drew 1-1 with holders Sweden on 13 October in 2017 European qualifying.

• Diego Godín – who has not scored at club level since 3 January – was on target in Uruguay's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying triumphs over Bolivia (2-0) and Colombia (3-0).

• Koke (hamstring) had missed Atlético's previous four matches before playing 90 minutes at Real Sociedad.

Astana
• Patrick Twumasi serves the third of a four-game ban imposed for his red card in the third qualifying round second leg against HJK.

• Astana's 1-0 success at FC Atyrau on 4 October was their first win in six matches in all competitions.

• Stoilov's men play league leaders Kairat Almaty on 22 November in the Kazakh Cup final but before that face them next Sunday.

• Dzholchiyev missed Kazakhstan's UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers against Netherlands and Latvia with an arm injury but started Astana's 2-1 defeat of FC Ordabasy Shymkent on Saturday.

• In a poll of PFC Levski Sofia fans earlier this month to mark 50 years since the Bulgarian team's first UEFA fixture, Stoilov was named best coach in the Blues' history for his achievement in guiding them into the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League group stage.