Osasuna will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid would love to build on their recent win when they host a struggling Osasuna side on Wednesday evening at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
The home team are fifth on the table with 10 points in their five outings. They have won three and played out a draw in their five outings. After back-to-back defeats at the hands of Athletic Club and Liverpool, Atletico returned to winning ways against Real Sociedad last time out.
While the 3-0 scoreline might suggest that they ran the show, in reality it was a closely fought encounter where Simeone’s men eventually showcased their class. It was 0-0 heading into the final ten minutes of the game, but the tide turned quickly after Atletico were awarded a penalty, which was slotted home by Alejandro Grimaldo.
The Madrid-based giants will certainly be confident about building on their recent win when they host Osasuna. Meanwhile, the visitors are 11th on the table with seven points in their five outings. They started the campaign with a draw, but they went on to secure wins over Celta Vigo and Getafe in their next two outings.
While it was an impressive start, Osasuna couldn’t build on it and have lost their last two league outings. They were smashed 5-2 by Deportivo Alaves before losing 2-0 to Espanyol last time out. They will have to put up a much improved performance if they are to take down Atletico in their own backyard. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Julian Alvarez remains a doubt after missing the last outing due to muscular overload. Apart from him, Alexander Sorloth and Pablo Barrios will both undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability. They might not be risked here with the Madrid derby coming up.
Atletico Madrid are expected to line up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Jan Oblak starting between the sticks. Marc Pubill, Cristian Romero and David Hancko should form the back three, with the trio tasked with keeping the opposition attackers at bay.
Giuliano Simeone and Alejandro Grimaldo are expected to operate as the wing-backs. The duo will look to contribute on both ends of the pitch. Meanwhile, Marcos Llorente and Morten Hjulmand should form the central midfield pairing, with the duo looking to control possession and protect the backline.
Alex Baena and Lee Kang-in are likely to feature on the flanks, while Jonathan David will lead the line for Atletico Madrid. The trio will look to combine effectively and create problems for the opposition defence.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Oblak; Pubill, Romero, Hancko; Simeone, Llorente, Hjulmand, Grimaldo; Baena, David, Lee
Osasuna
The visitors will be without the services of Moi Gomez (hamstring), Jorge Herrando (muscle), Aimar Oroz (hamstring) and Valentin Rosier (hamstring) due to injury. Apart from the four, everyone else should be available for selection.
Osasuna are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Sergio Herrera starting between the sticks. Inigo Arguibide and Abel Bretones should feature as the full-backs, while Rockson Yeboah is likely to partner Alejandro Catena in the heart of the defence.
In midfield, Jon Moncayola and Iker Munoz should form the double pivot. The duo will look to protect the backline and also ensure Atletico midfielders do not have too much easy possession.
Ruben Garcia and Kike Barja are expected to occupy the wide areas. They will look to stretch the opposition defence and hit Atletico on the break whenever possible. Meanwhile, Raul Garcia could take up the number ten role behind Ante Budimir, who will lead the line for the visitors.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Herrera; Arguibide, Yeboah, Catena, Bretones; Moncayola, Munoz; Ruben Garcia, Raul Garcia, Barja; Budimir
Key Stats
- Atletico have won 10 out of their 12 home games against Osasuna.
- Diego Simeone’s men have made it a habit of scoring late this season. They have scored five goals in the final 15 minutes of games.
- Alejandro Grimaldo bagged his first goal and assist in their 3-0 win over Real Sociedad last time out.
- In 24 meetings between the two teams, Atletico have won 20 games, while Osasuna have won three. The two teams have only played out one draw so far.
- Last season, the Madrid-based giants completed a double over Osasuna (1-0 win at home & 2-1 win away).
Player to Watch
Jonathan David
His overall game was quite impressive, and he even found the back of the net. Having scored just eight goals last season, David will be hoping to make the most of this loan spell, and he has already had a promising start.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Osasuna
Atletico Madrid will head into this fixture with plenty of confidence after their important win over Real Sociedad. They have enough quality across the pitch to dominate possession and create chances, while their strong record against Osasuna at home should give them further confidence.
Osasuna have made a decent start to the campaign, but their recent back-to-back defeats have exposed some of their defensive weaknesses. They could cause problems on the counter and may find the back of the net, but Atletico’s superior quality and home advantage should ultimately prove decisive. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for the home team.