Atletico Madrid will be aiming to post a seventh straight win in all competitions when they continue their La Liga campaign with a home fixture against Real Oviedo on Saturday.
Diego Simeone’s side are fourth in the La Liga table, four points behind division leaders Real Madrid, while the visitors are down at the foot of the division, having only picked up nine points from their first 13 matches back at this level.
Match preview
Atletico have quietly pulled themselves back into title contention heading towards the winter break in Spain, with the Red and Whites sitting fourth in the La Liga table, only four points behind division leaders Real Madrid, who have drawn their last two.
Simeone’s team have won each of their last five in La Liga against Osasuna, Real Betis, Sevilla, Levante and Getafe, while they have also been victorious in their last two in the Champions League, with nine points from five matches leaving them in 12th spot in the table.
Atletico will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home success over Inter Milan, and the capital outfit appear to be finding their rhythm after a patchy start, with a number of their new signings now settled and contributing, which looked in doubt earlier this season.
The Red and Whites have the second-best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 19 points from their seven games in front of their own fans.
Real Oviedo, on the other hand, have just one win from their six games on their travels, suffering five defeats in the process, and this will be a very tough test for the visitors.
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Real Oviedo have faced Atletico on 83 previous occasions, and they have actually managed to post 27 wins, but the pair have not locked horns in La Liga since May 2000, when the points were shared in a 2-2 draw.
Atletico did face Real Oviedo in the third round of the Copa del Rey in January 2023, though, recording a 2-0 victory, and the hosts will be aiming to post a third straight success over the Blues, who have found it tough back in Spain’s top flight.
The Oviedo side secured promotion back to La Liga through last season’s Segunda Division playoffs, and they are operating at this level for the first time since 2001.
A record of two wins, three draws and eight defeats from 13 matches has brought them nine points – only enough for 20th, while they are comfortably the lowest goalscorers in the division with seven, which is a huge concern.
Luis Carrion’s side have not been victorious in La Liga since a 2-1 success away to Valencia at the end of September, but they have drawn two of their last three against Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano, playing out a 0-0 with the latter last time out.
Atletico Madrid La Liga form:
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Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):
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Real Oviedo La Liga form:
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Real Oviedo form (all competitions):
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Team News
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Atletico will again definitely be without the services of central defender Robin Le Normand, while Marcos Llorente and Jan Oblak remain major doubts.
Head coach Simeone will not be taking any chances at such a key stage of the season, so Juan Musso is again in line to feature between the sticks, while Nahuel Molina is likely to continue at right-back for the Red and Whites this weekend.
There will be changes from the side that started against Inter in the Champions League, with Nico Gonzalez and Koke potentially being introduced, but Alex Baena could again support Julian Alvarez in the final third of the field.
As for Real Oviedo, Ilyas Chaira was sent off in the team’s goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano last time out, and he will now be unavailable for selection through suspension.
Alvaro Lemos and Ovie Ejaria are also missing due to injury problems, but the strugglers did not suffer any fresh fitness issues in their last match.
Santi Cazorla is in line for another spot in an attacking area, while Salomon Rondon should again lead the line, with Pablo Agudin potentially coming in to replace Chaira.
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Musso; Molina, Gimenez, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Barrios, Koke, Gonzalez; Alvarez, Baena
Real Oviedo possible starting lineup:
Escandell; Vidal, Costas, Calvo, Lopez; Colombatto, Dendoncker; Vinas, Agudin, Cazorla; Rondon
We say: Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo will be the fresher of the two teams in this match, but we are finding it incredibly difficult to predict anything other than a comfortable home success for an Atletico team that are in excellent form heading towards the winter break in Spain.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
