Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will look to keep their spot in the top four intact with a win over Girona on their home turf.
Atletico Madrid might not have had the best of seasons in La Liga, but there is still a lot to play for them as they prepare to host third-placed Girona, who have fallen off after a dream run where they were in contention for the league title.
Both clubs want to finish the season on a high and ensure they have UEFA Champions League football for next season. Girona do have a cushion of a few points. But Diego Simeone’s men cannot afford a slip-up.
Atletico Madrid are fourth on the points table with 58 points in their 30 matches. They only have a two-point advantage over fifth-place Athletic Club and dropping points could prove very costly for them at this stage.
After back-to-back defeats in the league, they did bounce back in their last outing against Villarreal. And, they are heading into this one on the back of a win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. They will be confident about their chances here.
Meanwhile, Girona are third with 65 points from their 30 outings. They have surpassed expectations in some fashion and were in contention for the league title for a long while. But, the White and Reds suffered a lot in the recent past and are now ten points behind league leaders Real Madrid.
Girona will look to ensure they can return to their best and finish the season on a high. After suffering a disappointing defeat at the hands of Getafe, they managed to bounce back against Real Betis and should be confident about their chances here. Meanwhile, 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 be without the services of Memphis Depay, Mario Hermoso, and Thomas Lemar. Meanwhile, Pablo Barrios is suspended from this fixture. The hosts did not pick up any fresh injuries in their last outing.
As a result, Diego Simeone should have the rest of the squad to choose from. He will look to make a few changes to the starting eleven to ensure he keeps everyone fit for the return leg of the UCL quarter-finals in Germany.
Simeone will stick to his tried and tested 3-5-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. In the heart of the defence, Stefan Savic will start alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Cesar Azpilicueta. The back three will look for a clean sheet, and they will have the support of Rodrigo Riquelme and Samuel Lino who will feature as the wing-backs.
Marcos Llorente will start alongside Koke and Saul Niguez in the centre of the park. The trio will look to control the tempo of this fixture. Meanwhile, in attack, French World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann will pair up with Spanish international Alvaro Morata.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Savic, Gimenez, Azpilicueta; Riquelme, Llorente, Koke, Saul, Lino; Griezmann, Morata
Girona
The visitors are without the services of Joel Roca and Toni Villa for this fixture. Meanwhile, the availability of Ricard Artero will depend on a late fitness test. Ivan Martin is suspended from this fixture, while Savio is back from suspension.
Girona will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will be in goal. Eric Garcia, David Lopez, and Daley Blind will be the three central defenders for the visitors. Yan Couto and Miguel Gutierrez, who will feature as the wing-backs, will look to help out the central defenders as they eye a clean sheet against Atletico Madrid.
In the centre of the park, Aleix Garcia will pair up with Yangel Herrera. The duo will look to ensure that the away side’s midfielders do not end up dictating the pace of the game. Viktor Tsyhankov and Savio will feature on the flanks for Girona, while Artem Dovbyk will lead the line.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Gazzaniga; Eric Garcia, David Lopez, Blind; Couto, Herrera, Aleix Garcia, Gutierrez; Tsyhankov, Dovbyk, Savio
Key Stats
- Girona have suffered a defeat in three out of their last games against Atletico Madrid.
- The reverse fixture ended 4-3 in favour of the visitors.
- Atletico Madrid have the second-best record at home having accumulated 40 points in 15 home games.
- Girona have lost each of their last four away games.
- Atletico Madrid will look to make it three wins in a row in all competitions when they host Girona.
Player to Watch
Alvaro Morata
While all the limelight tends to be on Antoine Griezmann, Alvaro Morata quietly goes about his work. The Spanish international has been doing wonders for them since the start of the season. He has featured in 42 matches for the Madrid-based club and has contributed towards 23 goals.
Morata has found the back on the net on 20 occasions already, and he will look to add to it in the upcoming matches. The 31-year-old has been a standout performer for them, and they will hope he continues in a similar fashion.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 3-2 Girona
Last time when the two teams met, Girona ended up coming out on top in a high-scoring thriller (4-3). They were playing some of their best football back then, and that is why they managed to claim all three points.
A lot has changed since the two teams last locked horns. The visitors are no longer in the kind of form they were back in the day, but they will surely give Atletico Madrid a run for their money. But, in the end, the Colchoneros will come out on top at home. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-2 win for Simeone’s men.