Both Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid will be eager to return to winning ways when they square up against each other on Saturday evening.
Atletico Madrid’s seven-match winning streak across competitions came to an end last time out, and now they will be eager to get things back on track when they hit the road to face an inconsistent Athletic Club outfit at San Mames on Saturday.
The home team are eighth on the table with 20 points in their 15 outings. The Basque outfit have been inconsistent since the start of the season, and they have lost three out of their last five league games.
Athletic Club are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-0 hammering at the hands of Real Madrid. Los Leoes were clearly the second-best team on the night, and they will have to do much better to stand a chance against Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, the visitors had a slowish start to the season, but they have picked up pace in the recent past. They were on a seven-game winning streak heading into their last outing against Barcelona. Unbeaten in the league since matchday 1, Atletico Madrid suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at the hands of the league leaders.
They are six points behind the league leaders and cannot really afford to drop any more points. Diego Simeone’s men will be eager to return to winning ways when they square up against Athletic Club, and given the kind of form the majority of their players have been in, the Madrid-based giants will be favourites to triumph here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Athletic Club
Ernesto Valverde will be without the services of Robert Navarro, Unai Egiluz, Maroan Sannadi, and Benat Prados because of injury. Yeray Alvarez is suspended, while Inaki Williams remains a major doubt. Oihan Sancet is back in the mix after serving a suspension.
The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Unai Simon will be in goal. Inigo Lekue and Adama Boiro will be the full-backs, while Aymeric Laporte will pair up with Dani Vivian in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Ruiz de Galarreta and Mikel Jauregizar will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure the Atletico Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Alejandro Berenguer and Nico Williams will provide width to their attacks, while Oihan Sancet will take up the number ten role behind Gorka Guruzeta, who will spearhead the Athletic Club attack against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Simon; Lekue, Vivian, Laporte, Boiro; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Berenguer, Sancet, N Williams; Guruzeta
Atletico Madrid
Marcos Llorente and Robin Le Normand are major doubts for this fixture, while Alex Baena and Jonny Cardoso will be assessed ahead of kick-off after being subbed off last time out.
Atletico Madrid should line up in a 4-4-2 formation for this fixture, with a few changes to the XI that started in their last outing. Jan Oblak will continue in goal. Nahuel Molina and David Hancko could be the full-backs, while Jose Maria Gimenez could pair up with Clement Lenglet in the heart of the defence.
Giuliano Simeone and Conor Gallagher should feature on the flanks, while Koke could partner Pablo Barrios in central midfield. They will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure Atletico dominate the ball. Finally, Alexander Sorloth could return to the XI to start alongside Julian Alvarez in the strike partnership.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Gimenez, Lenglet, Hancko; Simeone, Koke, Barrios, Gallagher; Sorloth, Alvarez
Key Stats
- Both Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid will be looking to bounce back after suffering a defeat last time out.
- Atletico Madrid were on a seven-match winning streak across competitions prior to their defeat against Barcelona.
- Athletic Club have only picked up 13 points from their eight home league games this season.
- Atletico Madrid have won each of the last three meetings between the two teams.
- The two teams have faced each other on 210 occasions in the past. Atletico have won 96 times, while Athletic Club have come out on top in 79 occasions.
Player to Watch
Julian Alvarez
Alvarez is clearly the most important player in Diego Simeone’s team at this point. He has established himself as one of their mainstays since joining them from Manchester City in the summer of 2024. The Argentine international had an impressive debut campaign, and he has carried that form into the new season.
The former Manchester City man has 10 goals and four assists in his 19 outings across competitions. Nine of those goal contributions have come in the league. The 25-year-old Argentine striker hasn’t scored in any of their last four league outings; as a result, he will be desperate to get back on the score sheet.
Prediction
Athletic Club 1-2 Atletico Madrid
Athletic Club return to San Mames under pressure after an inconsistent run and a heavy 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid. Ernesto Valverde’s side have struggled for rhythm in recent weeks, and with key players missing or doubtful, they will need a near-perfect display to trouble an Atletico Madrid team that has been far more convincing.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, will be determined to respond after their seven-match winning streak was snapped by Barcelona. Despite that setback, Simeone’s men have been one of the most reliable sides in La Liga of late, with Julian Alvarez, Alexander Sorloth, and Pablo Barrios all enjoying strong form. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Diego Simeone and his charges.
