Atlético de Madrid faces an epilogue to the year 2023 of maximum demand. In just seven days, Diego Pablo Simeone’s team, behind Girona and Real Madrid at the top of the table, must visit Athletic in San Mamés and then receive Getafe and Sevilla at the Metropolitano, where they appear intractable and accumulates twenty consecutive wins.
After closing a notable group stage in the Champions League, the Colchonero team returns to the domestic competition with an authentic classic of Spanish football. In San Mamés, the Madrid team regained the path of victory last year after four visits of little success, with three defeats and a draw, and has the challenge of transferring its outstanding version as a local to the status of a foreigner.
And in this campaign in which Atlético has taken a step forward and has once again run as a candidate for everything, the only pending issue is to capture at home all the virtues it exhibits in the Metropolitano. To do this, he has his entire squad at his disposal with the exception of the long-term injured Thomas Lemar and Lucas Barrios, so he points to a gala eleven in which the doubt lies in the left lane, between Rodrigo Riquelme and Samuel Lino , who continue to accumulate merits in a great competition that is benefiting both players.
“Improve our game away from home, generate a little more than what is generated at home,” Simeone set himself the objective before traveling to Bilbao, in the first of three commitments in a very saturated week, which provoked ironic criticism. of the Argentine coach after the victory in the Champions League against Lazio.
Athletic gets the goal back
Aware of the demands of a rival who this season seems to have overcome that fight with the goal that accompanied him since Aduriz’s goodbye, Cholo warned in the preview of the classic virtues of Athletic at home, with the intensity and vertigo for the lanes as signs of identity. Ernesto Valverde, who does not have the injured Ruiz de Galarreta, Dani García and Yeray Álvarez, recovers Mikel Vesga for his midfield in exchange.
The great form of the Williams brothers, with Iñaki in one of the best moments of his career, and the success of Guruzeta against the rival goal have meant a step forward for Athletic in the scoring aspect. Between the three of them they have accumulated 17 goals in the League, a notable offensive production that allows the lions to rub shoulders with the aristocracy of the League and even dream of Champions League positions, a goal that would bring them considerably closer by defeating Atlético, one of their occupants.
-Probable alignments:
Athletic: Unai Simon, De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri, Beñat Prados, Vesga, Sancet, Iñaki Williams, Guruzeta and Nico Williams.
Atlético: Oblak, Molina, Savic, Witsel, Hermoso, Riquelme, Marcos Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Griezmann and Morata.
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Extremadura Committee).
Stadium: San Mamés.
Time and TV: 4:15 p.m. Movistar LaLiga.
2023-12-15 15:53:19
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