Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa will be ready for their Champions League round 16 tie with Liverpool.

Marca says Atletico have been forced to end 2019 without their main centre-forward, with Diego Costa out after surgery on a slipped disc.

Yet the former Chelsea goalscorer is aiming to return in time for Los Colchoneros' Champions League trip to Liverpool.

Having been drawn against the defending European champions, Diego Simeone faces a harder task than you would imagine he'd have liked in the first knockout round, but having Costa back will be a huge boost, even if his form in 2019/20 had been underwhelming.