Atletico Madrid will be looking to make it consecutive wins in La Liga when they hit the road to face bottom-placed Real Oviedo.
Relegation-threatened Real Oviedo will look to cause an upset and bolster their chances of survival when they host giants Atletico Madrid on Saturday night. Diego Simeone’s team have been in fine form of late, and they will be out-and-out favourites to secure all three points here.
The home team are rock bottom with just 17 points in their 24 outings, with three wins, eight draws and 13 defeats. They are eight points off safety, but do have a game in hand. While survival is still very much possible, their overall form suggests they will find it very difficult to stay up.
Real Oviedo have won one out of their last five league games, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a hard-fought 3-3 draw against Real Sociedad, courtesy of an injury-time strike by Eric Bailly. They will be hoping to put up a strong performance against Atletico, but might be in for a long day at the office.
Meanwhile, the visitors are fourth on the table with 48 points in their 25 outings. While they are six points clear of the team in fifth, they are 13 points behind the leaders, Barcelona. They are no longer a part of the title race, and their focus seems to be on securing a top-four finish.
After a run of three league games without a win, they did secure all three points against Espanyol (4-2) last time out. Atletico are heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 4-1 win over Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League play-off. They will be looking to build on their recent results against Oviedo. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Oviedo
The home team will be without the services of David Costas (muscle). Meanwhile, Eric Bailly and Ovie Ejaria (physical discomfort) are major doubts for this outing. Santiago Colombatto is back after serving a suspension last time out.
Real Oviedo will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Aaron Escandell will take charge in goal. Nacho Vidal and Javi Lopez will be the full-backs, while David Carmo and Dani Calvo will feature in the heart of the defence.
The midfield duo of Santiago Colombatto and Kwasi Sibo will form the double pivot. They will look to protect the backline and ensure Atletico midfielders do not enjoy easy possession.
Haissem Hassan and Ilyas Chaira will provide width to their attacks from the flanks, while Alberto Reina will feature as the attacking midfielder for the home team. Federico Vinas will be the one leading the line against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Escandell; Vidal, Carmo, Calvo, Lopez; Colombatto, Sibo; Hassan, Reina, Chaira; Vinas
Atletico Madrid
The visitors might remain without the services of Pablo Barrios (thigh) and Nicolas Gonzalez (muscle), but they do have a boost as Rodrigo Mendoza is back available after missing the last outing because of suspension.
Atletico will line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will continue in goal. Nahuel Molina and Matteo Ruggeri will be the full-backs, while Marc Pubill will partner with David Hancko in the heart of the defence. The back four will be eyeing a clean sheet, having failed to keep one in any of their last three outings.
Giuliano Simeone and Ademola Lookman should feature on the flanks, while Marcos Llorente and Johnny Cardoso will take charge in a more central role. The midfield four will look to ensure Atletico run the show.
In the final third, Alexander Sorloth should continue alongside Julian Alvarez.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman; Sorloth, Alvarez
Key Stats
- After a run of four games with just one win in all competitions, Atletico have come out on top in their last two outings.
- Diego Simeone’s team have only won one out of their last four league outings.
- Real Oviedo have only won one out of their last 17 league outings.
- Atletico last faced Oviedo away from home in the league back in 2002 in the second division. The Red and Whites secured a 3-2 win back then.
- Simeone’s men secured a 2-0 away win against the bottom-placed team at the start of 2023 in the Copa del Rey.
Player to Watch
Ademola Lookman
Lookman has had an immediate impact at Atletico Madrid since joining them mid-season. The 28-year-old forward has been involved in seven games across competitions and has contributed towards seven goals (four goals, three assists).
However, he only has a goal in his three league outings and will be eager to add to his tally against a struggling Oviedo side. Simeone is certainly pleased with his performances, and his ability to feature anywhere in attack and as well as on the flanks in midfield.
Prediction
Real Oviedo 0-3 Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid will head into this fixture full of confidence after back-to-back wins across competitions, and they should fancy their chances of making it consecutive league victories. With superior quality across the pitch and momentum firmly on their side, Simeone’s men are expected to control proceedings and patiently break down the opposition.
For Real Oviedo, survival hopes hinge on moments of resilience and efficiency, but their prolonged struggles suggest this could be a tough night. While the hosts may show fight early on, Atletico’s attacking firepower and growing rhythm should eventually prove decisive, with the visitors likely to pull clear and secure a comfortable win. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-0 win for the away team.