Atlético, to straighten the course in Granada
Simeone's men hope to take advantage of the euphoria of the cup derby to improve their feelings away from the Metropolitano
MADRID, 21 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid will try to take advantage this Monday at the Nuevo Los Cármenes (9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga), in the last match of the twenty-first day of LaLiga EA Sports, the emotional boost that the victory in the cup derby meant to regain the path of victory in the domestic competition against a Granada that wants to make a splash to get closer to the salvation zone.
Eliminated in extra time in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh against Real Madrid (5-3), Diego Pablo Simeone's men were able to exact their revenge just a week later in the Copa del Rey, where, in a new Madrid derby With extra time, they won (4-2) to guarantee their place in the quarterfinals, where a Sevilla team awaits them and must visit the Cívitas Metropolitano.
In LaLiga, on the other hand, the rojiblancos live settled in irregularity; They have only won two of their last six league games, both in the heat of their home crowd – against Almería (2-1) and Sevilla (1-0) – and they have bowed the knee in three – all away from home against FC Barcelona (1-0), Athletic Club (2-0) and Girona (4-3) -, tying against Getafe (3-3), who broke the streak of 20 consecutive games by winning in their field of the table mattress
In total, only seven points added from the last 18 at stake, numbers that, together with the clash postponed due to the Super Cup dispute, have made them fall to fifth place, with 38 points, three away from the last access position to the Champions League, which Barça holds (41).
Now, he will once again move away from the Spanish capital, where his success has exclusively been forged. In fact, the team has only managed to win three times in its ten away games in the domestic competition this season, the last one three months ago -against Celta-, something they need to remedy in Granada by overcoming the physical effort of the last days.
However, Atlético has added a new setback, the injury of César Azpilicueta. The Navarrese defender had to undergo surgery after breaking his meniscus in the cup match, so he will be out just like the Mozambican Reinildo, in the Africa Cup, and the Frenchman Thomas Lemar, with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
All pending the possible departures of Turkish defender Çaglar Söyüncü and Javi Galán. “We think about the possibility that some boys could leave, that there are some hanging around. We have to wait until the end of the market to see if we can balance the needs of a footballer and what the club and the team need,” Simeone revealed.
In front, Granada seeks to react to try to abandon dangerous positions. In the first game of the year against Cádiz (2-0), the team broke a streak of 15 consecutive games without winning, but just a few days later at the Benito Villamarín they suffered another defeat (1-0) despite the good feelings and with arbitration controversy.
Thus, Alexander Medina's men occupy the penultimate place with only 11 points, five from the safety zone, which they could approach if they manage to emulate what was achieved in the last athletic visit to Los Cármenes, when the Nasrids overcame the initial goal of Joao Félix with the goals of Darwin Machís and Jorge Molina (2-1).
“We are going to face one of the best teams in Spain and perhaps in Europe. We have reasons to get a positive result, making a good game plan, understanding that we have to play to the limit, at 120% of our possibilities, with our fans. I have no doubt that we are going to live up to the match,” said the Uruguayan coach.
Only goalkeeper Raúl Fernández, due to back problems, and Cameroonian midfielder Martin Hongla, suspended for two games for contempt for the referees in his debut against the green and white, will miss the match in the local team, to which full-back Ricard Sánchez returns. after serving a sanction.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
GRANADA: Battle; Ricard, Bruno Méndez, Piatkowski, Ignasi Miquel, Carlos Neva; Sergio Ruiz, Gonzalo Villar; Bryan, Uzuni; and Lucas Boyé.
ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Savic, Witsel, Hermoso, Riquelme; Llorente, Koke, De Paul; Griezmann and Morata.
–REFEREE: Martinez Munuera (C.Valenciano).
–STADIUM: Nuevo Los Cármenes.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga.