Atletico Madrid will be looking to make it 16 wins in a row when they hit the road to square up against relegation-threatened CD Leganes.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid sit atop La Liga but with Real Madrid breathing down their necks, they will need to keep winning. After a dominant performance in the Copa del Rey, the Madrid-based outfit will now focus on this away fixture against Leganes.
The home team are 16th on the points table with just 19 points in as many outings. CD Leganes are three points clear of 18th-placed Espanyol, and they will look to extend their advantage in the coming weeks.
The game against Atletico Madrid is not going to be easy for a team that has been winless in their last two league outings. But, Leganes are heading into this one on the back of a 3-2 win over Almeria in the Copa del Rey, which will surely do some good to their confidence.
The visitors are top and have a one-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid. Their incredible run of 15 straight wins across competitions has helped them become one of the biggest contenders for all major titles.
Atletico Madrid are heading into this one on the back of a 4-0 win over Elche in the Copa del Rey. Given the kind of form they have been in, they should not have much difficulty in going past Leganes. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Leganes
The home team will be without the services of Enric Franquesa because of a muscular issue. Meanwhile, Juan Soriano, Jorge Saenz, and Oscar Rodriguez are suspended for this outing.
Head coach Jimenez is expected to make quite a few changes to the XI that start in their last outing. Leganes will go ahead with the 5-4-1 formation, where Marko Dmitrovic will take charge in between the sticks.
Valentin Rosier and Juan Cruz will be the wing-backs for the home team with Renato Tapia, Sergio Gonzalez, and Matija Nastasic featuring in the heart of the defence. The back five is going to have a tough day at the office as they look to try and spot the most dominant team in all of Europe.
In the centre of the park, Seydouba Cisse will pair up with Yvan Neyou. The duo will feature in a central role while Dani Raba will partner Darko Brašanac out wide on the flanks. The four will not only shield the back line but also look to create chances for Miguel de la Fuente who should be the one leading the line.
Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Dmitrovic; Rosier, Tapia, Gonzalez, Nastasic, Cruz; Raba, Cisse, Neyou, Brasanac; De la Fuente
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s team has no fresh injury concerns. Jose Gimenez is the only one out, and everyone else is expected to be available for selection.
Atletico Madrid will stick to the 4-4-2 formation, and the Argentine manager is expected to recall all of his regulars. Jan Oblak is expected to be back in goal. Meanwhile, the back four will be made up of Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, Clement Lenglet and Javi Galan.
Giuliano Simeone and Conor Gallagher should feature out wide on the flanks in midfield, while Rodrigo De Paul should partner Pablo Barrios in the central area. The quartet will look to control the tempo and create opportunities for the in-form duo of Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann to do the damage.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Griezmann, Alvarez
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid have won each of their last 15 games across competitions heading into this game.
- Diego Simeone’s team have won eight out of their last 13 games against Leganes.
- Los Rojiblancos claimed a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture back in October 2024.
- Leganes have conceded a minimum of three goals in each of their last five league defeats.
- The visitors have kept a clean sheet in four out of their last five outings.
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez
It might have been a slow start for the Argentine at Atletico Madrid, but he has surely picked up the pace in recent months. With 14 goals and two assists in his 29 outings, the 24-year-old is slowly establishing himself as the go-to man under Diego Simeone. Given the kind of form he has been in, Alvarez could end up having a big say on the end result of the game.
Prediction
Leganes 1-3 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid have been on a dream run since the start of November. They have won their last 15 games, and it looks very unlikely that Leganes will be able to stand in their way. The visitors are fighting for survival, and they will try to create an upset but they might not have enough firepower in their ranks. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-1 win for the visitors.
