European hopefuls Celta Vigo will hit the road to square up against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Having been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League earlier this week, Atletico Madrid will look to return to winning ways when they host Celta Vigo at Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday. While the home team do not have much to play for, the visitors are fighting hard to ensure they secure European football for next season.
Atletico Madrid are currently fourth in La Liga with 63 points in their 34 outings. They are ten points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis. With just four games to go, Simeone’s men are pretty much certain to secure a spot in Europe’s premier cup competition.
While they have won their last two league outings, the Madrid-based giants are heading into this fixture on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the semi-final of the Champions League, knocking them out of the competition. They will be eager to bounce back in some fashion against Celta Vigo.
Meanwhile, the visitors have climbed up to 6th on the table following their 3-1 win over Elche CF last time out. Not only do they occupy the Conference League spot, but Celta (47 points in 34 outings) also have a three-point lead over seventh-placed Getafe.
After a run of three straight defeats, the win over Getafe was a much-needed result. Now the Galician outfit will be hoping for a few more positive results in the final few fixtures to ensure they fulfil their objectives. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone’s team will be without the services of Johnny Cardoso (muscle), Pablo Barrios (thigh), and Nicolas Gonzalez (thigh), while Julian Alvarez (ankle) is a doubt for this fixture.
The home team could start in a 5-4-1 formation in this fixture, with Simeone giving much-needed rest to a few of his key players. Juan Musso could get a start in between the sticks, while the back three could be made up of Marc Pubill, Robin Le Normand, and Clement Lenglet.
The trio will be eyeing a clean sheet, and they will receive significant support from Nahuel Molina and Julio Diaz, who are expected to feature as the wing-backs.
Thiago Almada and Rodrigo Mendoza will feature in the wide areas, while Koke and Obed Vargas will pair up in the central midfield berths. The duo will look to ensure they dominate the ball and control the tempo. Finally, Alexander Sorloth is expected to spearhead the Atletico Madrid attack against Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (5-4-1): Musso; Molina, Pubill, Le Normand, Lenglet, Diaz; Almada, Koke, Vargas, Mendoza; Sorloth
Celta Vigo
The visitors will be without the services of Carl Starfelt (undisclosed), Matias Vecino (muscle), and Miguel Roman (undisclosed) because of injury. Meanwhile, Javi Rueda is suspended for this fixture.
Celta Vigo will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Ionut Radu will feature in goal. In the heart of the defence, Javi Rodriguez will start alongside Yoel Lago and Alvaro Nunez. The back three will look to keep things tight, and they will receive significant support from Oscar Mingueza and Sergio Carreira, who will feature as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Ilaix Moriba will start alongside Fer Lopez in the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and ensure Atletico midfielders do not run the show.
Iago Aspas and Hugo Alvarez will feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Ferran Jutgla, who should lead the line for Celta Vigo against Atletico Madrid at Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Radu; Rodriguez, Lago, Nunez; Mingueza, Moriba, Lopez, Carreira; Aspas, Alvarez; Jutgla
Key Stats
- Atletico Madrid haven’t lost any of their last 12 home games against Celta Vigo (8W, 4D).
- Diego Simeone’s team have bagged a goal in each of their last ten league outings.
- Both teams have found the back of the net in four out of the last five games at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
- Celta Vigo have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last eight outings across competitions.
- The last two meetings between the two teams have ended in a 1-1 draw.
Player to Watch
Iago Aspas
At 38, Aspas continues to prove he still has a huge role to play for Celta Vigo. The veteran forward has contributed towards 14 goals in his 44 appearances this season, scoring eight times while also bagging six assists.
More importantly, the Spaniard once again stepped up when his team needed him the most, finding the back of the net against Elche as Celta Vigo returned to winning ways. With the Galician club fighting for a European spot, they will be hoping their most experienced attacker delivers yet again.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-2 Celta Vigo
The home side will certainly be eager to bounce back after their UEFA Champions League heartbreak, and playing at the Metropolitano gives them a significant advantage. Even if Diego Simeone rotates his squad, Atletico still have enough quality in attack to cause problems for a Celta Vigo side that has struggled defensively in recent weeks.
However, the visitors have a lot more riding on this fixture as they continue their push for European football. Celta have shown enough attacking quality to trouble Atletico Madrid, and with players like Iago Aspas capable of producing moments of brilliance, they should be able to stay in the contest. The Hard Tackle predicts an entertaining 2-2 draw between the two teams.