CD Lugo will face an uphill task against Atletico Madrid in their Copa De Rey Round of 32 clash on Saturday night.
Atletico Madrid will be keen to end their two-game losing streak when they take on minnows CD Lugo on Saturday night. The Copa del Rey clash presents us with the tantalising prospect of a major upset as Diego Simone’s men continue to struggle.
Unlike the lofty heights of La Liga or the UEFA Champions League, Lugo occupy the humble pitches of the Primera Pederacion, the third tier of Spanish football. With a spot in the Last 16 of the Copa del Rey on offer, one would expect the minnows to get stuck in from the word go.
Atletico Madrid will hope to put their poor form from December in the past and embark upon a resurgent 2024. A strong end to the campaign is needed to salvage what they can this season.
For Lugo, promotion hopes appear remote, and they will be better served to put all their chips in one packet and go as far as possible in the King’s Cup. While a dream run culminating in a title triumph appears unlikely;y, scalping a team like Atletico will be one for the history books.
While the visitors are heavy favourites, the game should be a hard fought one. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
CD Lugo
Paulo Alves has a fully-fit squad at his disposal and will make the most of the opportunity to catch Atletico Madrid napping. Confidence is certainly low for the capital side given their successive capitulations, and an early goal from Lugo will set alarm bells ringing.
Lugo are currently eighth in the third tier and are winless in their last three league games, losing the two most recent ones. However, form goes out of the window in knockout matches and a lot could happen over 90 minutes.
A 4-2-3-1 formation appears to be the home side’s best bet, given that it can also double up as a 4-5-1 or a 5-4-1 when needed. Strength in numbers should give them a shot at nullifying Atletico’s superior players on the field.
Goncalo Tabuaco should start in goal behind the back four of Johaneko Louis-Jean, Gorka Perez, Andres Castrin and Alberto Lopez. Sergio Aguza and Sabit Abdulai should form the double pivot, freeing up the trio of Victor Narro, Antonin and Antonio Aranda to push forward. Leandro Antonetti should start up front and will be keen to find the back of the net in the second Copa del Rey game in a row.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Tabuaco; Louis-Jean, Perez, Castrin, Lopez; Aguza, Abdulai; Narro, Antonin, Aranda; Antonetti
Atletico Madrid
Pablo Barrios and Thomas Lemar miss out due to injuries. But Diego Simeone has an otherwise fully fit squad at his disposal. With the derby against Real Madrid coming up, the trip to Lugo would have been the perfect opportunity for Atletico to rest their star players.
However, reeling from successive losses, they will be keen to not take any chances. A humbling at Lugo could very well prove to be a nadir the Rojiblancos might struggle to come back from. Anything less than a win should alarm the decision-makers at Atletico Madrid.
The visitors should retain their 5-3-2 formation that focuses on defensive solidity. Jan Oblak should start in goal behind the centre-back trio of Cesar Azpilicueta, Mario Hermoso and Jose Gimenez. They will aim to shore up the backline, allowing Marcos Llorente and Samuel Lino to push forward.
Axel Witsel will hold the fort in central midfield, with Saul Niguez and Rodrigo De Paul occupying more mobile roles. Antoine Griezmann will operate as a dual performer, occupying both the striker’s and the number ten’s roles. Fresh off a hat-trick against Girona, Alvaro Morata will hope to continue his hot streak in front of the goal.
Probable Lineup (5-3-2): Oblak; Llorente, Azpilicueta, Gimenez, Hermoso, Lino; Niguez, Witsel, De Paul; Griezmann, Morata
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have won the competition ten times, a number bettered only by Barcelona, Athletic Club and Real Madrid.
- CD Lugo have never won the Copa Del Rey in their history.
- This is the first-ever competitive match-up between Atletico Madrid and CD Lugo.
- Should CD Lugo win, they will qualify for the round of 16 for the first time in their history.
Player to Watch
Alvaro Morata
The Spaniard scored an excellent hat-trick earlier this week, but Girona’s stoppage-time winner saw his efforts go to waste. Morata will once again be Atletico Madrid’s chief threat in the box and will be keen to get his side’s campaign back on track.
Atletico’s inconsistency has seen them struggle across multiple fronts this season. Diego Simeone’s men have lost that edge that made them feared across Europe and have begun to show Achilles heels of late. With Antoine Griezmann expected to drop deeper to craft opportunities, the onus will be on Morata to find the back of the net.
Prediction
CD Lugo 0-2 Atletico Madrid
While Atletico Madrid might be down in the dumps as far as confidence is concerned, the gulf in quality between themselves and Lugo is just far too huge. Unlike the FA Cup, the Copa del Rey does not have a niche for romanticism. So, it is difficult to see past Atletico progressing on the night. The game is unlikely to be pretty but one can trust Simeone to lead his men to a 2-0 triumph.