Atlético receives Las Palmas with an eye on Inter
Those of 'Cholo' want to forget the setback in Seville against a Canarian team that dreams of Europe
MADRID, 16 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid receives a visit from Unión Deportiva Las Palmas this Saturday (2:00 p.m.) on the twenty-fifth day of LaLiga EA Sports 2023-2024 with the firm intention of returning to the path of victory and with one eye on their return to the Champions League next Tuesday, although they will face a rival that aspires to European positions and wants to continue aspiring to European positions.
Diego Pablo Simeone's pupils want to recover the good feelings after two games ended in defeat, in the Copa del Rey against Athletic Club (0-1), and in LaLiga EA Sports against Sevilla (1-0), in order to reach with good feelings in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against the Italian Inter Milan.
This will be a match in which the Colchonero team cannot be confused by its visit to the Giuseppe Meazza against one of the revelation teams of the domestic championship that equals it in points achieved in the last five league games (10 points) and that was already capable of to beat him in Gran Canaria (2-1).
The Colchonero team, far from the lead (13 points) after the defeat in Seville, arrives at this match as fourth classified with 48 points and looking to maintain its unbeaten league record in its fiefdom so as not to distance itself from Girona (56 points), FC Barcelona (51) and defend themselves against Athletic Club, which is two points away from its Champions League place.
For its part, Las Palmas, recently promoted, is eighth with 35 points and if it is victorious in the Metropolitano it could equal Betis in sixth position, which gives access to European competition, and could leave its permanence almost complete, the main objective of the team. by Francisco Javier García Pimienta.
Looking ahead to this match, Simeone could bet on rotations in order to distribute efforts thinking about the Champions League, despite the fact that he has had a 'free' week and that could even involve Antoine Griezmann, who has a lot of load and seven games without seeing the door.
The one who will surely not be there will be Álvaro Morata, who injured his knee last Sunday, so 'Cholo' must decide how to configure his attack, whether with the Memphis-Griezmann duo, with Memphis and Ángel Correa, or even , as it seems he has rehearsed, placing Marcos Llorente, whom his coach sees as comfortable in that area, accompanied by the Argentine.
The forward line will not be the only line that the Argentine coach may tweak, who could also give players like Axel Witsel and Mario Hermoso a rest in defense, and in the middle, where he recovers Samuel Ñíguez, Samuel Lino, captain Koke Resurrección or Rodrigo de Paul, with the aim of traveling to Milan healthy and energized against an Inter that will have one more day of rest.
LAS PALMAS HAS NOT WIN AWAY IN THE LEAGUE SINCE 1969
On the other hand, UD Las Palmas visits an Atlético de Madrid team that they have not won at home since September 21, 1969 (1-2), although they do have a 2-3 victory in the Copa del Rey in 2017, still in the Vicente Calderón and that did not help him advance to the round.
García Pimienta's team has just won last game in the final moments against Valencia (2-0) and is having a dream season, with a daring, more productive game, yes, when playing at home, and where its least Offensive potential is offset by defensive work.
In fact, the two goalkeepers who are currently competing for the Zamora Trophy of the current season will be measured at the Metropolitano, Álvaro Valles and Jan Oblak, with special mention for the goalkeeper of the island team, who has only conceded 20 goals so far.
For this trip to Madrid, García Pimienta has dispensed with the newcomers José Campaña, a new signing, and Omenuku Mfulu, who has been with the DR Congo in the Africa Cup, and could give the starting position to the talented Alberto Moleiro, while Sandro Ramírez and Marc Cardona fight to be the offensive reference.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
MADRID ATHLETIC: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Gimenez, Reinildo, Riquelme; Neighborhoods, Koke, Saul Niguez; Crying and Correa.
UD LAS PALMAS: Vallés; Suárez, Coco, Marmol, Cardona; Muñoz, Perrone; Marvin, Kirian Rodríguez, Munir; and Sandro.
–REFEREE: Figueroa Vázquez (C. Andaluz).
–ESTADIO: Cívitas Metopolitano.
–TIME: 2:00 p.m./Movistar+ LaLiga.