Simeone’s men, after being eliminated from the Cup, host Betis with the aim of settling in the ‘Champions zone’
MADRID, 2 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid returns this Sunday to the Cívitas Metropolitano (4:15 p.m./Movistar+ LaLiga) after its elimination from the cup with the aim of regaining regularity and settling into the ‘Champions zone’ in LaLiga EA Sports, all against a Real Betis that is looking for a victory of prestige that allows it to confirm itself in European positions.
The red and whites did not measure up in the first of the two ‘finals’ that they will have to face in this first quarter of 2024; After the 0-1 first leg at home, they traveled to San Mamés on Thursday to try to come back from their Copa del Rey semi-final against Athletic Club, which dealt them a hard blow (3-0).
Outside of the ‘KO’ tournament, Diego Pablo Simeone’s men will have another head-to-head duel against Inter in less than two weeks, against whom they will need to reverse the 0-1 draw in the first leg in Milan in the heat of their home crowd. First, they will have to focus on the domestic competition, where, except for the rout against UD Las Palmas (5-0), they have not offered too many good feelings in recent weeks.
In fact, on the last day they only got a draw from their visit to last-place Almería (2-2), just after shining against the Canaries and losing, just the week before, against Sevilla (1-0). In total, they have only achieved one win in their last seven games in all competitions – four losses and two draws.
These results have made them fall to fourth place, where, with 52 points, they are 13 behind the lead and five behind third place, FC Barcelona. Behind them, Ernesto Valverde’s men, with 49 points, threaten to displace them from the last of the Champions League access positions.
Now, the Colchonero team clings to its strength in the Metropolitan, a stadium that only Athletic, in the first leg of the Cup, has managed to assault this season; In LaLiga, Getafe has been the only one capable of taking points from there.
Without José María Giménez, César Azpilicueta or Thomas Lemar, the red and whites will also be without the Frenchman Antoine Griezmann, who was absent in the second leg of the cup and in the duel against the Almería team due to a sprained ankle and who could return against Inter. The attack line will foreseeably be formed by Memphis and Álvaro Morata.
Opposite, Real Betis, eliminated from the Conference League, has already focused its forces on confirming its presence in continental competition next season. After five days without losing in LaLiga, the green and white are sixth with 42 points, two above Real Sociedad, seven behind Athletic’s Europa League position and ten behind the ‘Champions’, which is their rival this Sunday.
Furthermore, Manuel Pellegrini’s men arrive at the event after beating a direct rival like the Bilbao team (3-1) at the Benito Villamarín. At home, they count their last two games as victories: 0-1 against RCD Mallorca and 0-2 against Cádiz, both without conceding.
For the visit to the Colchonero stadium, the Chilean coach recovers Ayoze Pérez and Guido Rodríguez, but will once again regret up to six casualties. Nabil Fekir, Marc Bartra, Isco, Aitor Ruibal, Cédric Bakambu, Abner Vinícius and Sergi Altamira, all due to injury, will not be available, while goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is a doubt due to muscle discomfort.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Llorente, Gabriel Paulista, Witsel, Hermoso, Samu Lino; Koke, De Paul, Barrios; Memphis and Morata.
REAL BETIS: Rui Silva; Bellerín, Pezzella, Chadi Riad, Miranda; Marc Roca, Cardoso; Rodri, Fornals, Chimy Ávila; and Willian José.
–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C.Riojano).
–STADIUM: Cívitas Metropolitano.
–TIME: 16.15/Movistar+ LaLiga.