Sevilla will aim to rise up the table when they welcome Atletico Madrid to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Sunday.
A struggling Sevilla will welcome Atletico Madrid in what should be a high-voltage encounter in La Liga on Sunday evening.
The Andalusian giants have won just four games this season and are languishing in the bottom half of the table. Sevilla are just three points off the relegation zone, one they could get closer to should they fail to secure anything this weekend.
Atletico Madrid are also in the midst of an underwhelming season and find themselves some distance off the La Liga title race. Diego Simeone’s men are currently in the fourth spot, 10 points off leaders and arch-rivals Real Madrid heading into the weekend.
Los Rojiblancos arrive in Andalusia having lost the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against Athletic Club while Sevilla picked up a much needed morale boosting win over Rayo Vallecano. They are now pursuing consecutive league wins for the first time since May 2023.
Quique Sanchez Flores faces an uphill task with Valencia, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad set to follow in the coming weeks. A win against Atletico is the best way for them to help build momentum and put some distance between themselves and the drop zone.
Unless things pick up, they could be set for their worst ever finish in La Liga this century. A relegation, something unfathomable since their drop in 1999/00 could very well start looking like a real possibility. Atletico are a difficult opponent but they have lost four of their last six away games in the league and could be there for the taking. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Sevilla
Los Nervionenses will have several familiar names unavailable for the night. Quique Sanchez Flores will be without Tanguy Nianzou, Dodi Lukebakio, Kike Salas, Nemanja Gudelj and Lucien Agoume, all of whom are out injured.
To add to their frustrations, both Erik Lamela and Mariano Diaz are doubts for the night. But it is not all bad news as Atletico’s long-term nemesis and Spanish legend Sergio Ramos is back available for the game having served his suspension. Suso is also available having sat the last game out.
The return of Youssef En-Nesyri has been a major boost for the home side. The Moroccan scored twice in their win over Rayo Vallecano and will once again present Sevilla’s biggest goalscoring threat on the night. Simeone’s men take no prisoners, and Sevilla will need to be ready for a fight to secure anything from the game.
Sevilla should line up in a standard 4-4-2 formation, with Orjan Nyland in goal. He should be protected by the back four of Jesus Navas, Loic Bade, Sergio Ramos, and Marcos Acuna. Suso and Lucas Ocampos should provide the width with the duo of Boubakary Soumare and Moussa Sow forming the central midfield roster. Youssef En-Nesyri is an automatic starter with Isaac Romero in tow.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Nyland; Navas, Bade, Ramos, Acuna; Suso, Sow, Soumare, Ocampos; En-Nesyri, Romero
Atletico Madrid
Los Rojiblancos are still well and alive fighting on multiple fronts but have lacked conviction in the league. Currently embroiled in a fight for the fourth spot with Athletic Club, Diego Simeone will be keen to see his side pull away.
Andalusia has not been a kind place for Atletico in recent visits, but Sevilla’s poor season will offer the visitors hope of securing a first win in the area since 2022. However, the recent win over Rayo Vallecano will have brought new wind into the home side and it is imperative that Atletico do not let their opponents get off to a quick start.
The trio of Thomas Lemar, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Cesar Azpilicueta should miss out due to injuries while star striker Alvaro Morata is a doubt for the match. More so, Saul Niguez is unavailable as he serves a suspension following the booking against Real Madrid.
Simeone will still retain his 3-5-2 system, with Jan Oblak in goal. He will be protected by the back three of Stefan Savic, Axel Witsel, and Mario Hermoso. Nahuel Molina and Rodrigo Riquelme should provide the width as wing-backs and should drop deeper if put under pressure.
The trio of Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, and Marcos Llorente should form the midfield trio and will hope to control the pace of the game on the night. Antoine Griezmann will play between the lines as Atletico’s chief creator, while Alvaro Morata should get the nod if he is deemed fit.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Savic, Witsel, Hermoso; Molina, De Paul, Koke, Llorente, Riquelme; Griezmann, Morata
Key Stats
- A loss on Sunday will see Sevilla extend their losing streak against Atletico Madrid in the league to four for the first time ever.
- Atletico Madrid have lost just three of their last 12 visits to Sevilla.
- Atletico Madrid have lost just one of their last seven La Liga trips to Andalusia. This came against Cadiz in 2022.
- A win will see Sevilla win consecutive La Liga games for the first time since May 2023.
- Atletico Madrid have lost four of their last six away games in La Liga.
Player to Watch
Antoine Griezmann
The French international is Atletico Madrid’s go-to man and will once again bear the burden of making things happen in the final third. With Alvaro Morata not expected to be fully fit, Griezmann will have a greater role to play in trying to unlock the Sevilla backline.
He is likely to be marked by Sergio Ramos and it should prove to be a fascinating contest between two players who are amongst the best to have graced La Liga in the last decade.
Prediction
Sevilla 1-2 Atletico Madrid
Sevilla will have their tails up now that they have rediscovered that winning feeling but the multitude of absentees should see them struggle to match Atletico on the field. While the game will in all likelihood be close, the visitors’ superior quality and abundance of match-winners should swing the tie in their favour.
