Atlético de Madrid and Athletic face today at the Wanda Metropolitano the League match suspended in its day because of the storm Filomena. The panorama has changed a lot since that January 8, especially in what refers to the Bilbao team. The lions, with Marcelino on the bench, made good use of that temporary suspension to properly prepare for the Super Cup, a tournament they ended up winning after defeating Madrid in the semifinals and Barça in the final.
Those of Simeone were then and continue to be the leaders of First. The colchoneros, with 42 points in their locker, were six ahead of Real Madrid, second classified. Now, with 59 points to their credit, they are only three ahead of Barça, their immediate pursuer.
Athletic, on the other hand, has improved considerably in the League and has gotten into the Cup final. The lions arrive at the Wanda appointment in eighth position in the table, 26 points behind their rival, two points more than on that day postponed by the snow. His general situation, however, has improved substantially.
The rojiblancos are now eleven points behind the decline while at the beginning of January they were only two. Europe, however, is much closer. From the nine of then it has gone to the four of now.
The colchoneros not only lead the First classification. Atlético is the team that has received the fewest goals so far in the championship (17) and the second highest-scoring team in the League (48, nine less than Barça). The security behind, with his goalkeeper Oblak as a great reference, is accompanied this season by the efficiency of Suárez with the inestimable collaboration of Marcos Llorente, Ibai's great friend.
The lions count their visits to the Wanda Metropolitano due to losses. 2-0, 3-2 and 2-0 are the results reaped by Athletic in the new mattress stadium. Marcelino already made it clear yesterday in Lezama that his idea is to go for victory, as always. Simeone, born winner, thinks the same way.
Everything points to both coaches pulling their starting blocks. In the rojiblanco side, under such a perspective, a good part of the substitutes from last Sunday will return. The doubts go back to the right side, either Capa or De Marcos, and the double pivot. The leader, whoever comes out in the wide zone, wait.