Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, who are currently fourth on the points table, will look to strengthen their position with a win over Celta Vigo.
Atletico Madrid have not reached the expected levels this season and they are currently fighting to ensure they have Champions League football for next season while Celta Vigo have a decent lead over the 18th-placed team as they look to survive in the Spanish top flight.
The home team have accumulated 67 points in their 34 outings. They have a six-point lead over the fifth-placed Athletic Club and if things go according to plan, they should not have much difficulty finishing with UEFA Champions League football for next season.
But, with only four games to go, Simeone’s men cannot afford to take anything lightly. They are expected to go all out for all three points at home against Celta Vigo. Atletico Madrid are heading into this one on the back of consecutive wins in the league and will look to make it three in a row.
The visitors are currently 15th on the points table with 34 points in as many games. Celta Vigo have an eight-point lead over 18th-placed Cadiz. They are in a comfortable position in the fight for survival, and a win here could almost ensure safety.
The away side are heading into this one on the back of an exciting 3-2 win over Villarreal, who were reduced to ten men early in the first half. While they will be confident about their chances, taking down the Colchoneros won’t be an easy task. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Antoine Griezmann is back, having served his suspension last time out. But, Diego Simeone will still be without the likes of Thomas Lemar, Marcos Paulo, and Nahuel Molina for this fixture. Memphis Depay has recovered, and he is expected to be a part of the squad for this one.
Jan Oblak will be in goal for Los Rojiblancos. They will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Axel Witsel, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Cesar Azpilicueta will form the back three. They will look for a clean sheet and will have the support of Rodrigo Riquelme and Samuel Lino, who will feature as the wing-backs.
Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, and Pablo Barrios will feature in the centre of the park. The trio will look to dictate the pace of this game. Star striker Antoine Griezmann should be back in the starting XI, and he should start alongside Angel Correa up top.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Azpilicueta; Riquelme, De Paul, Barrios, Koke, Lino; Griezmann, Correa
Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo are expected to be without the services of Joseph Aidoo, Renato Tapia, and Carlos Dotor. Apart from the trio, everyone else is expected to be available for selection.
The visitors will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Vicente Guaita will be in goal. The back three will be made up of Javier Manquillo, Carl Starfelt, and Jailson. They will look to keep the Atletico Madrid star forwards at bay and will have the support of Oscar Mingueza and Hugo Alvarez, who will feature as wing-backs.
Damian Rodríguez and Fran Beltran will be the midfield pairing. Iago Aspas and Williot Swedberg will provide width to their attacks, while Jorgen Strand Larsen will be leading the line for Celta Vigo against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Guaita; Manquillo, Starfelt, Jailson; Mingueza, Rodriguez, Beltran, Alvarez; Aspas, Larsen, Swedberg
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have the third-best defence in the division this term.
- Celta Vigo haven’t defeated Simeone’s team in La Liga since September 2018.
- Atletico Madrid have won four out of their last five league games.
- Celta Vigo have the fourth-worst defensive record this season having conceded 52 goals so far.
- The visitors have lost each of their last five league games against Atletico, including a 3-0 defeat in the reverse fixture.
Player to Watch
Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann is back after missing out on the last game because of suspension. He is expected to start this fixture and given the kind of form he has been in throughout the season, the French superstar can surely have a huge say on the end result of this game.
The 33-year-old has featured in 29 league games this term and has contributed towards 19 goals. He has found the back of the net on 13 occasions and also has six assists to his name. It won’t be a surprise if he ends up adding to his tally on Sunday.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Celta Vigo
Diego Simeone’s team might not have had the kind of season one expects them to have. But they have been in fine form of late and are expected to go past Celta Vigo without much trouble. While the visitors will try to claim all three points, they are unlikely to succeed given the difference in quality of both teams and their overall form. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the home team.
