Atletico Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways when they resume their La Liga campaign with a home game against Osasuna.

Osasuna will be looking to build on their win from last time out, when they hit the road to square up against giants Atletico Madrid, who have been very inconsistent in the initial phase of the season.

After a slow and disappointing start to the season, the home team have slowly climbed up to fifth on the points table with 13 points in their eight outings. They are still eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid, so there is certainly a lot of catching up to do.

With consecutive wins over Rayo Vallecano and Real Madrid, it seemed Diego Simeone’s team were finally back on track. But they ended up dropping points against Celta Vigo prior to the break. It was a disappointing 1-1 draw for the Colchoneros, and Clement Lenglet’s red card did play a big part.

The visitors are currently 12th on the table with 10 points in their eight outings. While their overall form is not that great, they did secure all three points against Getafe last time out. It was their third win of the new season.

Osasuna were the better team on the night, and they certainly deserved all three points. While Osasuna will be high on confidence, going up against Atletico Madrid won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

Atletico Madrid

The home team will be without the services of Clement Lenglet, who will be serving a suspension. Johnny Cardoso remains on the sidelines, but Jose Gimenez and Thiago Almada could both be back in the mix.

Diego Simeone’s team could switch to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Jan Oblak will continue in goal. Marcos Llorente and Javi Galan should be the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand could pair up with David Hancko at the heart of the defence, with Lenglet suspended.

As for the midfield unit, Koke and Pablo Barrios will form the double pivot. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game. Giovanni Simeone and Nicolas Gonzalez could feature on the flanks, with Antoine Griezmann taking up the attacking midfield role. Finally, Julian Alvarez will continue to lead the line for Atletico Madrid against Osasuna this weekend.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Galan; Barrios, Koke; Simeone, Griezmann, Gonzalez; Alvarez

Osasuna

The visitors might be without the services of Aimar Oroz and Juan Cruz, as the duo are major doubts for this fixture because of injury. Against Atletico Madrid, Osasuna will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Sergio Herrera will take charge in between the sticks.

Valentin Rosier and Abel Bretones should be the full-backs, while Alejandro Catena will start alongside Enzo Boyomo in the heart of the defence. The back four will receive significant support from Jon Moncayola and Lucas Torro, who will form the double pivot in the middle of the park.

Victor Munoz and Ruben Garcia will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks, while Moi Gomez will take up the number ten role behind Ante Budimir, who will spearhead the Osasuna attack against Atletico Madrid.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Herrera; Rosier, Catena, Boyomo, Bretones; Torro, Moncayola; Munoz, Gomez, Ruben Garcia; Budimir

Key Stats

• Atletico Madrid have only won three out of their first eight league games this season.
• Diego Simeone’s team have lost two out of their last three outings against Osasuna.
• In the reverse fixture towards the end of last season, Osasuna secured a 2-0 win.
• Osasuna have only conceded eight goals in as many outings, a superior record to league leaders Real Madrid (nine).
• However, the visitors have only scored seven goals so far, which is a massive concern.

Player to Watch

Antoine Griezmann

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With age slowly catching up to the French forward, Griezmann has lost prominence at Atletico Madrid. The former French international is no longer a guaranteed starter under Diego Simeone, and that seems to have had an effect on his form as well.

Griezmann has been involved in 10 matches so far, but he has racked up just over 450 minutes of first-team action. The 34-year-old only has two goals to his name so far. Since he is expected to be in the starting XI for this outing, Griezmann will be hoping to produce a stellar performance and re-establish himself as their mainstay.

Prediction

Atletico Madrid 1-1 Osasuna

Atletico Madrid will be desperate to bounce back following their frustrating draw against Celta Vigo before the break. Despite showing flashes of their old intensity in recent weeks, Diego Simeone’s men have struggled to find consistency. The hosts have the quality to create chances, but their defensive frailties and occasional lapses in concentration could once again prove costly if not addressed.

Osasuna, on the other hand, will travel to Madrid full of confidence after their hard-fought victory over Getafe. They have already shown they can cause problems for Atletico Madrid, having beaten them twice in their last three meetings.

Osasuna are well-drilled defensively and dangerous on the counter, which could trouble a slightly unsettled Atletico Madrid backline. While the hosts are favourites on paper, this could turn into a tightly contested affair. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano.