Atletico Madrid will look to reclaim the top spot in La Liga with a win over 11th-placed Osasuna on Sunday evening.
Osasuna will look to end their six-match winless run in La Liga when they hit the road to square up against title contenders Atletico Madrid at Estadio Metropolitano. With Real Madrid competing in the Spanish Super Cup, Diego Simeone’s team have the perfect opportunity to once again go top of the table.
Atletico Madrid have 41 points in their 18 outings. The Colchoneros are just two points behind Los Blancos with a game in hand. As a result, a win here will see them go one point clear at the top. Simeone’s team are the most in-form team in Europe having won each of their last 13 matches across competitions. They will be eager to make it 14 in a row.
Meanwhile, Osasuna have dropped down to 11th after a run of six league games without a win. They have not been clinical enough and have paid the price. The positive for them is that they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win over CD Tenerife in the Copa del Rey.
While they will be confident about their chances, taking down Atletico won’t be an easy task. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Jose Gimenez is the only injury concern for the home team, but he is expected to overcome a muscular problem to feature in the heart of the defence here.
Diego Simeone named quite a strong team for the Copa del Rey fixture last time out, and quite a few of the players from that XI should retain their place in the team. But, there will still be a few changes.
Atletico Madrid will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and Javi Galan should be the full-backs, with Clement Lenglet pairing up with Gimenez in the heart of the defence.
Conor Gallagher should once again feature in a wide midfield role, with Giuliano Simeone on the opposite flank. Pablo Barrios will start alongside Rodrigo De Paul in a more central role. In attack, Julian Alvarez should pair up with Antoine Griezmann.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Griezmann, Alvarez
Osasuna
Alejandro Catena is back in the mix after serving a suspension in their last league outing. Meanwhile, Kike Barja’s involvement is a major doubt because of a thigh injury.
The visitors will make a few changes to their starting eleven, with the majority of their regular returning to the side. Osasuna will go ahead with the 4-3-3 formation against Atletico Madrid, and Sergio Herrera should be the one in goal for them.
The back four will be made up of Jesus Areso, Alejandro Catena, Flavien Enzo Boyomo and Juan Cruz. Catena and Boyomo will start in the heart of the defence, while Arseo and Cruz will be on the flanks.
In the centre of the park, Lucas Torro will start alongside Jon Moncayola and Aimar Oroz. The trio will look to ensure that Atletico midfielders do not dictate the pace of the game. Ruben Garcia and Moi Gomez will provide the much-needed width to their attacks, while Ante Budimir will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Herrera; Areso, Catena, Boyomo, Cruz; Moncayola, Torro, Oroz; Ruben Garcia, Budimir, Moi Gomez
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have won each of their last 13 games across competitions heading into this fixture.
- Osasuna have not won any of their last six league games.
- With 23 points in their nine home games, Atletico have the second-best record at home. They have not lost a league game in their backyard this season.
- The visitors have only won one away game this season.
- Osasuna did register a massive 4-1 win in the corresponding fixture last season.
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez
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Alvarez did find it difficult to get going at Atletico Madrid but once he got a hang of things, he managed to establish himself as a key figure under Simeone. He has 12 goals and two assists in his 27 outings and has been doing a great job as Griezmann’s partner in the final third. Given the kind of form he has been in, the 24-year-old could have a big say on the result of this fixture.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 3-0 Osasuna
Osasuna haven’t won any of their last six league games and now, they are gearing up to face Atletico Madrid away from home. Diego Simeone’s team have won each of their last 13 games across the competition and they will prove to be a massive challenge for the visitors. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-0 win for the home team.
