Atletico Madrid will be looking for their third straight win in La Liga when they host Sevilla at Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in La Liga when they square up against Sevilla, who will be eager to bring an end to their two-game losing streak at Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday.

The home team endured a very poor start to the new season despite making significant additions to their squad. While their only defeat came in the opening matchday against Espanyol, Diego Simeone’s team were finding it difficult to win games.

However, that has not been the case of late, as Los Rojiblancos have won four out of their last five league outings to climb up to fourth on the table with 19 points in their ten outings. Atletico Madrid are heading into this one on the back of a 2-0 win over Real Betis, and they will certainly be confident about their chances here.

The visitors have not been in the best of form of late, having lost their last two league games. The Andalusian outfit are 11th on the table with 13 points in their ten La Liga outings. While their win over Barcelona was a massive boost, Los Nervionenses have since lost to Mallorca and Real Sociedad.

Sevilla are heading into this fixture on the back of a win over CD Toledo in the Copa del Rey. The 4-1 win will give them confidence, going up against in-form Atletico Madrid certainly won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid will be without the services of Pablo Barrios because of a groin injury against Sevilla. Meanwhile, Johnny Cardoso‘s availability is a major doubt. Apart from the duo, everyone else should be available for selection. Diego Simeone is unlikely to make major changes to the XI that started in their last outing.

The Colchoneros will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and David Hancko will be the full-backs, while Jose Maria Gimenez will pair up alongside Robin Le Normand in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, with Barrios unavailable, Conor Gallagher and Koke will form the double pivot in the middle of the park. They will shield the backline and look to ensure they control the tempo of the game.

Alex Baena should continue in the number ten role behind Julian Alvarez, who will spearhead the Atletico Madrid attack against Sevilla. Finally, Guiliano Simeone and Nico Gonzalez could start on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their offensive moves.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Le Normand, Hancko; Gallagher, Koke; Simeone, Baena, Gonzalez; Alvarez

Sevilla

Lucien Agoume is suspended for this fixture. Meanwhile, Batista Mendy, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Alexis Sanchez are out injured. Apart from the quartet, Joan Jordan and Tanguy Nianzou will undergo a late fitness test to determine their availability.

Sevilla will also line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Odysseas Vlachodimos will take charge in goal. Jose Angel Carmona and Gabriel Suazo will be the full-backs, while Fabio Cardoso will start alongside Marcao in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Djibril Sow and Nemanja Gudelj will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure the Atletico Madrid midfielders do not dominate the ball too deep in their half.

Juanlu Sanchez and Ruben Vargaas will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Alfon Gonzalez will be the attacking midfielder behind Isaac Romero, who will continue to lead the line for Sevilla against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Vlachodimos; Carmona, Cardoso, Marcao, Suazo; Sow, Gudelj; Juanlu Sanchez, Gonzalez, Vargas; Romero

Key Stats

• Atletico Madrid have faced Sevilla on 194 occasions, they have won 77 times, while the visitors have come out on top on 61 occasions.
• Diego Simeone’s men completed a league double against Sevilla last season.
• Sevilla are yet to play out a draw in an away fixture this season (W3 L2).
• Atletico Madrid have been unbeaten at home across competitions this season (W5 D1).
• Sevilla have only won one out of their last eight games against Diego Simeone’s team.

Player to Watch

Alex Baena

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Baena did not have the best of starts to life at Atletico Madrid, as he picked up a muscular injury at the very start and missed the initial weeks. However, the Spaniard is slowly getting back to his best since returning to the mix.

The 24-year-old bagged an assist on his return against Real Madrid, and he found the back of the net against Real Betis in their last outing. Given the kind of form he has been in, the former Villarreal star can certainly have a big say on the end result of this fixture.

Prediction

Atletico Madrid 2-1 Sevilla

Atletico Madrid have finally started to find rhythm after a sluggish start to the campaign, and they head into this fixture full of confidence following back-to-back league wins. Diego Simeone’s men look much more balanced now, with their defensive solidity returning and key attacking players like Julian Alvarez and Alex Baena stepping up in recent weeks.

Sevilla, on the other hand, are struggling to find consistency. While their Copa del Rey win over CD Toledo will give them a slight boost, their league form remains a major concern. Defensively, they have been vulnerable, and facing a resurgent Atletico Madrid side away from home will be a real challenge.

The visitors might manage to make it a competitive encounter, but Simeone’s men should have enough quality and momentum to edge past them. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Simeone and his charges.