Girona take on the formidable Atletico Madrid ahead of a crunch La Liga game this Sunday, with either team eager to climb up the standings.
Michel will want his players to use the momentum from last weekend’s big win over Real Sociedad as a springboard to get more points on the board as Girona host Atletico Madrid at Estadi Montilivi on Sunday. The team that finished in the top four of La Liga a couple of seasons ago are now languishing in the relegation zone.
Girona are currently 18th in the standings, and they have managed only three wins all season so far. Hence, there is a big need for Michel to galvanise his team to perform at their best when they host Atletico Madrid, knowing very well the visitors’ current form and their need to consolidate their place in the top four.
Topsy Turvy will be the ideal word to describe Atletico Madrid this season, following their inconsistent result. Diego Simeone will be aware of the large nine-point gap with leaders Barcelona a the top end of the La Liga table, as the Rojiblancos will be eager to get more wins on the board to stand a chance of catching up.
Earlier this week, Atletico Madrid got the better of lower league opposition Atletico Baleares to advance into the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Before that, they managed back-to-back wins over PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League and then against Valencia in La Liga to keep their fourth spot intact.
Simeone will want to get clear of third-placed Villarreal, however, in their quest to challenge for the title, Atletico Madrid may have bowed out early, given the points gap with leaders Barcelona. Back-to-back defeats to the Blaugrana as well as Athletic Club may have ruined their chances in a big way, as they now travel back to Catalonia to take on a struggling Girona side.
Team News & Tactics
Girona
Michel will want a solid result on board against Atletico Madrid, but given the long injury list ahead of the Girona manager, things do look a bit bleak ahead of the weekend. Donny van de Beek, Cristhian Stuani, Portu, Abel Ruiz, Juan Carlos, Ricard Artero, David Lopez, and Vladyslav Krapyvtsov are all sidelined.
To add to their woes, Moroccan star Azzedine Ounahi has left for the AFCON with his national side, and his absence could prove beneficial for Thomas Lemar. Vladyslav Vanat will lead the line for Girona, as the likes of Viktor Tsygankov, Lemar, and Bryan Gil will be there to support the striker in the attacking third.
La Liga rules do not prevent on-loan players from featuring against their parent clubs, and Diego Simeone will know all about Lemar’s game. Veteran defender Daley Blind will feature in a central defensive role, alongside on-loan Manchester City defender Vitor Reis. Arnau Martinez, and Alex Moreno are likely to start in the full-back roles for Girona, while Ivan Martin will pair up with veteran Belgian Axel Witsel in the middle of the park.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Gazzaniga; Martinez, Reis, Blind, Moreno; Witsel, Martin; Tsygankov, Lemar, Gil; Vanat
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone is unlikely to make many alterations to his lineup, as it would not come as a surprise if he does not make any. That is pertaining to the team that defeated Valencia last weekend, as he will certainly make changes to the side that played in the Copa del Rey earlier this week.
On the injury front, Atletico Madrid do not have too many issues, with Marcos Llorente, Alex Baena and Jose Maria Gimenez set for late fitness tests to determine their participation against Girona.
Even then, the trio are not expected to start, as Nahuel Molina will feature at right-back with Matteo Ruggeri in the left-back role. Koke was the standout player in the win over Valencia, meaning the experienced midfielder is likely to keep his spot in the set-up and partner up with Pablo Barrios in the central area.
Simeone will go with the 4-4-2, as Guiliano Simeone and Nico Gonzalez are set to feature in wide roles. Alexander Sorloth is expected to lead the line alongside Julian Alvarez, as the Norwegian will be preferred over Antoine Griezmann, who scored a brace in midweek.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Barrios, Koke, Gonzalez; Sorloth, Alvarez
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have won their last three games across all competitions.
- Atletico Madrid have scored at least three goals in their last four matches against Girona in all competitions.
- Atletico Madrid have won six of their last seven matches against Girona in all competitions.
- Girona have managed only one win in their 12 games against Atletico Madrid, which was in January 2024 at home.
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez
The Argentine international remains the most important player for Atletico Madrid, but he has been going through a patch of late in La Liga. Alvarez has failed to score or assist in the last six games in the league, although he has continued to thrive in the UEFA Champions League, where he has four goals in five games.
Hence, Diego Simeone will want his star striker firing on all cylinders when La Liga action resumes at the weekend. The absence of key stars in this Girona side, as well as facing veteran defender Daley Blind, could be a good thing for Alvarez, as he will be aiming to end his La Liga drought on Sunday.
Prediction
Girona 1-3 Atletico Madrid
Girona certainly have a bit of momentum on its side following the important win over Real Sociedad last weekend. However, they might go back to their habits this season and put in another timid performance against a big La Liga side, while the injury gods have been unkind to them of late.
Atletico Madrid are not that defensively tight this season, and that might show when they take on Girona. Despite the probability of Simeone’s side conceding an odd goal, they have the absolute quality to breeze past the Catalans in this one and take all three points.
