Osasuna wants to take advantage of his opportunity against a ‘touched’ champion
MADRID, 18 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid will pay a visit to El Sadar this Saturday (4:15 p.m.) with a very ‘touched’ spirit and in search of renewed energy for their Champions League tie, although they will face a Club Atlético Osasuna that does not want to let their opportunity to add three key points to get closer to permanence.
The rojiblanco team has not come out of a tremendous irregularity and is experiencing the worst season since Diego Pablo Simeone landed in December 2011 to change the history of the club. Discarded except for a miraculous change and the sinking of the others to defend his league title, his goal is now to reach one of the positions that give access to the ‘Champions’, something still quite affordable despite his bad moment.
The current champion suffered a new setback for his morale last Wednesday when he fell at the Wanda Metropolitano against Levante, who until then had only won one game, and lost the opportunity to place himself at least provisionally in fourth place which, despite everyone, is still very close at hand as it is level on points with its current owner, FC Barcelona.
Atlético will try to add the three points in Pamplona where Osasuna awaits them, at the moment in a comfortable situation, but they do not want to miss the opportunity to take advantage of this evident weakness in their rival to add three points that place them at 35 and already very close to the desired permanence. The ‘rojillos’ always grow up in El Sadar, a fief, however, quite ‘friendly’ in their last visits to the hosts of ‘Cholo’.
These will also reach Navarrese soil with the return to the assault of the Champions League and their first duel against Manchester United and their ‘black beast’ Cristiano Ronaldo. The ‘match by match’ that this year does not work will be more present than ever and it does not seem that the Argentine coach can reserve players for the European test on Wednesday.
At the moment, after the heavy defeat against the ‘granotas’, there was at least the good news of the return of Antoine Griezmann, whose new loss of almost a month and a half has been quite noticeable. The Frenchman was being one of the most toned of the team and his return can serve as a revulsive to win again away from home in the League, which has not happened since the end of November in Cádiz, although it remains to be seen if he will start or have minutes for pick up the pace for the duel against United.
In addition, Carrasco and Hermoso returned with the group in the qualifiers and will be in the game, with special mention for the Belgian who was also going through a great moment of form. On the contrary, Lemar will be absent -due to possible contact with positive COVID- together with a Matheus Cunha who wanted to break through and who damaged his knee against Levante. The ‘Cholo’ will have to manage his pieces to configure his attack, although Correa seems to be one of the fixed ones.
The Argentine coach also has Rodrigo de Paul out due to suspension for a midfield that could be more offensive than usual, while for the delicate defensive zone, the novelty could be the ‘relegation’ back to Marcos Llorente’s side .
SEVEN DEFEATS IN A ROW OF OSASUNA AND ARRASATE AGAINST ATLÉTICO
Opposite, an Osasuna that will want to take advantage of all the doubts that plague the champion to try to score three important points and end their current bad streak against Simeone’s Atlético, whom they have not won since 2014.
Since that resounding 3-0, from which the colchoneros recovered to win the title, the ‘rojillo’ team has crashed against the rojiblancos with seven straight defeats and only two goals scored. His coach, Jagoba Arrasate, has never been able to beat ‘Cholo’ in as many games, counting his time at Real Sociedad.
The Gipuzkoan coach will be able to count on Kike Barja, Aridane and also a Rubén García who was ‘between cottons’, so he could repeat the eleven with which he stormed the Vallecas fort last day (0-3).
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
CA OSASUNA: Sergio Herrera; Nacho Vidal, Unai Garcia, Cruz, Manu Sanchez; Moncayola, Torro, Brasanac; Avila, Budimir and Ruben Garcia.
ATLETICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Llorente, Giménez, Savic, Reinildo; Correa, Koke, Kondogbia, Carrasco; Griezmann and Luis Suarez.
–REFEREE: Melero López (C.Andaluz).
–STADIUM: El Sadar.
–TIME: 16.15/Movistar LaLiga.