Atlético needs not to give up any more ground
The Colchoneros visit Celta, who they have beaten in their last four visits, with the aim of reaching the derby without a doubt.
MADRID, 25 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid will visit RC Celta at the ABANCA Balaídos Stadium on Thursday (9:00 p.m.) with the need to not fail again as visitors in order to avoid falling too far behind the leaders of LaLiga EA Sports and to arrive without a doubt at the important derby next Sunday against Real Madrid.
The red-and-white team is six points behind FC Barcelona, a difference that is the result of the three draws it has already suffered in this league start, the last one being last Sunday in its visit to Rayo Vallecano, where it was not at its best, especially in the first 45 minutes.
Now, Diego Pablo Simeone’s men, five points behind Real Madrid after Madrid’s victory over Deportivo Alavés, want to quell any hint of weakness ahead of a key derby that could leave one of the two too far behind considering how little the season has been going on.
But in the mantra of ‘game by game’, the Argentine coach will want to think solely and exclusively about a visit to Vigo, which has not gone badly for him in recent years and against a rival that he also seems to have the measure of, but who in front of his Balaídos fans has been on a very positive run and has not lost for a long time.
However, Atlético de Madrid seem to have the measure of a Celta side that they have not lost to since 2018, when they fell 2-0 at the Celta ground and since then, in the following eleven league encounters between the two, the Vigo team has only been able to draw three times, losing its last four home games, also with just one goal scored.
The Rojiblancos know that they need to be more consistent if they want to turn their ambitious bid for this season into a headache for Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, and so far, it seems that they are more established in the defensive zone than in the offensive where they are still waiting for the best version of Julián Álvarez.
The Argentine striker is one of those who will not be in the starting eleven, where Simeone, who has the absences of César Azpilicueta and Pablo Barrios, could be considering a change of system to counteract the offensive power of his rival and return to a four-man defence, with Nahuel Molina and Reinildo Mandava as full-backs alongside Robin Le Normand and José María Giménez.
In the middle, ‘Cholo’ is still keeping an eye on Rodrigo de Paul, who was out as a precaution in Vallecas and who it seems will be kept in reserve for the derby. Conor Gallagher, who is playing well, could return as a starter and captain Koke Resurrección, who is carrying a lot of weight and did not complete the last session, and Marcos Llorente could fight for a place if Molina is chosen at full-back. Up front, Alexander Sorloth is expected to start and the Atlético coach is looking for his best partner between Ángel Correa and Rodrigo Riquelme, with Antoine Griezmann lying on the side next to Samu Lino.
CELTA, STRONG UP FRONT, WEAK AT THE BACK
Facing them is a Celta side whose start to the campaign has been more positive than in previous seasons, thanks above all to their level at Balaídos, which is compensating for their defensive and away performance, which are preventing them from being much better placed and with higher points in the table.
The team coached by Claudio Giráldez has nine points, all of them at home, where it has not lost since February 17 against FC Barcelona (1-2), but its other three away games have ended in defeat, the last one 3-1 at San Mamés, and also with ten goals conceded, making it one of the worst defenses in LaLiga EA Sports.
Up front, however, they are one of the most notable in the domestic championship and have already scored 14 times, two less than Real Madrid, who have played one more game, so it will be a good test to check the defensive solidity of Atlético de Madrid.
Giráldez will have the significant loss of an important player like Óscar Mingueza, who was injured shortly after the start of the match against Athletic Club last Saturday, and Hugo Álvarez or Sergio Carreira are competing for his position. The coach could make rotations compared to Saturday and put a new starting eleven with the additions of Marcos Alonso, Fran Beltrán, Ilaix Moriba and Borja Iglesias as ‘9’.
TECHNICAL SHEET.
–POSSIBLE LINEUPS.
RC CELTA: Guaita; Alvarez, Rodriguez, Jailson, Starfelt, Alonso; Moriba, Beltran; Aspas, Iglesias and Swedberg.
ATLETICO MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Reinildo; Griezmann, Llorente, Gallagher, Lino; Correa and Sorloth.
–REFEREE: García Verdura (C.Catalan).
–STADIUM: ABANCA Balaídos.