Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways in La Liga when they host a struggling Valencia outfit.
Valencia will be looking to script an upset and pick up their fourth win of the season when they take on giants Atletico Madrid, who have suffered defeat in each of their last two league outings.
The home team are fourth on the points table with 31 points in their 16 outings. After a slowish start, they did pick up pace and were within touching distance of the top spot. However, consecutive defeats to Barcelona and Athletic Club have resulted in them being nine points behind the league leaders.
While their last two league fixtures resulted in disappointment, they did return to winning ways against PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League. It might not have been their best performance, but it will certainly make them feel a lot more confident heading into this home fixture.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 16th on the points table with 15 points in as many outings. They have only won three matches so far this season. While they have been unbeaten in their last four league fixtures, they have only won one out of their last ten games.
Since winning against Levante, they have played out draws against Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla. While they will be confident about putting up a strong fight against Atletico, it certainly won’t be an easy day at the office for them. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid will remain without the services of Marcos Llorente and Robin Le Normand for the game against Valencia this weekend. Meanwhile, Alex Baena will undergo a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Atletico will stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will continue in goal. Nahuel Molina and David Hancko should feature as the full-backs, while Marc Pubill could pair up with Clement Lenglet in central defence.
Giuliano Simeone and Thiago Almada will feature out wide on the flanks in midfield. Koke could partner Pablo Barrios in a more central role; the duo will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate the ball. In the final third, Alexander Sorloth should once again get the opportunity to play alongside Julian Alvarez.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Lenglet, Hancko; Simeone, Koke, Barrios, Almada; Alvarez, Sorloth
Valencia
The visitors will be without Cesar Tarrega, who is suspended following a milestone yellow in their last outing. Meanwhile, Mouctar Diakhaby has been given the green light to join the squad after a lengthy time on the sidelines.
Valencia could line up in a 3-4-3 formation in this fixture. Julen Agirrezabala will continue in goal for them. The back three could be made up of Dimitri Foulquier, Eray Comert and Jose Manuel Copete.
The trio will look to keep their attacking duo in check, and they will receive significant support from the flanks as Thierry Correia and Jose Gaya are expected to feature as the wing-backs. Pepelu and Andre Almeida will be the two central midfielders. They will look to ensure the Atletico Madrid midfielders do not dominate the ball too deep in their half.
In the final third, Diego Lopez and Luis Rioja could feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Hugo Duro should spearhead the Valencia attack against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Agirrezabala; Foulquier, Copete, Comert; Correia, Almeida, Pepelu, Gaya; Lopez, Duro, Rioja
Key Stats
- Valencia have only won one out of their last ten league outings.
- Atletico Madrid have suffered defeats in each of their last two league outings.
- Valencia are unbeaten in their last four league outings (3 draws, 1 win).
- Los Che have not been able to defeat Atletico Madrid away from home since February 2011.
- Diego Simeone’s men did the double over Valencia last season, winning 3-0 home and away.
Player to Watch
Alexander Sorloth
While Sorloth has been involved in 20 matches, he has been on the pitch for less than 900 minutes. But he still has five goals and an assist to his name. The 30-year-old was on fire in their last outing against PSV as he finished with two goal contributions.
At Atletico Madrid, the limelight often tends to be on Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, but Sorloth has been an equally important asset for Simeone. Given the kind of form he has been in, the Norwegian striker can certainly have a big say on the end result of this fixture.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Valencia
Atletico Madrid will aim to steady the ship when they welcome a struggling Valencia side to the Metropolitano. Consecutive league defeats have derailed their momentum, but the midweek UEFA Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven should restore some much-needed confidence.
Valencia may be unbeaten in their last four league outings, but their lack of cutting edge and poor away record against Atletico make this a daunting challenge. Los Che will look to stay compact and frustrate the hosts, but Atletico’s superior quality across the pitch should eventually shine through. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.
