Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Celta Vigo.
Celta Vigo have had a mixed start to the new season, with three wins and as many defeats and now, they will host Atletico Madrid at Balaidos in an attempt to bounce back after a defeat last time out.
The home team are currently ninth on the points table with nine points. They started the new season in fine fashion with back-to-back wins. But things have not been that great of late as they have only won one of their last four league outings.
The Galician outfit are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Athletic Club. Celta Vigo had more of the ball, and they created as many chances as their opponent were just not good enough in the final third of the pitch.
The visitors might be unbeaten so far, but they have also had a mixed start with three wins and three draws in their six league outings. While Diego Simeone’s team have been doing most things right, they have dropped points in fixtures they are expected to win without much difficulty.
Atletico Madrid are heading into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano. The Colchoneros were expected to dominate the proceedings, but that was not the case. They were just not good enough on the day and will have to do better against Celta Vigo. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Celta Vigo
The home team will be without the services of Mihailo Ristic and Lucas de la Torre, who remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Oscar Mingueza has also been ruled out after picking up an injury in their last outing.
Celta Vigo are expected to make a few changes to the XI that started in their last fixture when they lock horns with Atletico Madrid on Thursday. They 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 Rodriguez Galiano, Carl Starfelt and Jailson. Having leaked way too many goals in the initial phase, they will look to keep things tight at the back. The centre-back trio will have the support of Hugo Alvarez and Marcos Alonso, who will feature as the wing-backs.
While the wing-back pairing will look to join the attack at every possible opportunity, they will have a long day helping out their backline. In the centre of the park, Fran Beltran will pair up with Ilaix Moriba. The duo will look to ensure Atletico Madrid midfielders do not get to dominate the ball without any difficulty. Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias will feature on the flanks, while Williot Swedberg will be lead the line.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Guaita; Javier Rodriguez, Starfelt, Jailson; Alvarez, Beltran, Moriba, Alonso; Aspas, Swedberg, Iglesias
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will be without the services of Cesar Azpilicueta. While Thomas Lemar and Pablo Barrios’s fitness is also a concern, they should be a part of the squad for this one. Rodrigo De Paul, who missed out on their last outing, should be back fit for this one.
Antoine Griezmann is also expected to be back in the mix after being rested last time out. The visitors will also line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will take charge in goal. Robin Le Normand, Jose Maria Gimenez, and Reinildo Mandava will form the back three. They will have the support of Marcos Llorente and Samuel Lino, who will feature as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, veteran midfielder and club captain Koke will start alongside Rodrigo Riquelme and summer signing Conor Gallagher. The trio will be looking to dictate the pace of the game and dominate the ball in the opposition’s half. Finally, French superstar Antoine Griezmann should pair up with Alexander Sorloth in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Oblak; Le Normand, Gimenez, Reinildo; Llorente, Gallagher, Koke, Riquelme, Lino; Griezmann, Sorloth
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in the 2024/25 La Liga season with three wins and three draws so far.
- Celta Vigo have won all three of their home games at Balaidos.
- Celta Vigo are the third highest-scoring in the division (14 goals) behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.
- But, the home team have the second-worst defensive record having conceded 13 goals.
- Atletico Madrid have won eight out of their last 11 games against Celta Vigo (8 wins, 3 draws).
Player to Watch
Koke
The Atletico Madrid skipper hardly has the spotlight on himself. He quietly does his bit and has been one of the most important players for Diego Simeone’s team over the years. He has made a decent start to the new season and also has a goal to his name. But, Koke will not be pleased with what they have done as a team, and he will most likely look to lead from the front against Celta Vigo.
Prediction
Celta Vigo 1-3 Atletico Madrid
Celta Vigo might have won all three of their home games this season, but they will find it difficult to get past Atletico Madrid. The visitors have been inconsistent, but they have enough quality on their bench to turn things around. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the team from Madrid.