Atlético Madrid will take on Real Betis Balompié for the second time in three days when the two sides face each other at the Estadio Metropolitano on Sunday afternoon.
Atleti swept aside the Andalusians in a 5-0 rout in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Thursday night, with Betis looking to inflict instant revenge in this LALIGA match day 23 clash. The gulf in class was stark at La Cartuja Stadium with Atlético by far the better side, meaning Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be hoping for at least a better performance this weekend.
Although this game is 3rd against 5th in the league table, a 10-point gap between the clubs suggests it may not be as tight as it looks on paper. Atlético Madrid (13-6-3, 45 points) currently sit top of the home form table, having not lost a match at the Metropolitano all season; Real Betis (9-8-5, 35 points) have an even worse away record as their hosts. The verdiblancos have managed just three wins on the road all season, and look unlikely to add to that number at one of the toughest places to go in Europe.
Just to make Betis’ task appear more daunting, history is also on Atleti’s side. This will be the 13th LALIGA meeting between the two in Madrid during the Cholo era, with the home team failing to win just once in a 0-0 draw. The last time Atlético lost this fixture, it proved to be the last match in charge for Diego Simeone’s predecessor, Gregorio Manzano. That was way back in December of 2011, and no one with a red and white persuasion will be intending on breaking that 14-year streak.
Having said all that, Simeone will have a firm eye on the upcoming fixture list — as much as he likes to go partido a partido — given that Atleti are halfway through eight consecutive weeks of playing midweek fixtures. Should they come through their UEFA Champions League two-legged affair against Club Brugge, that run would extend to 10 weeks of three-day turnarounds between games.
This could have an impact on team selection in LALIGA, forcing El Cholo to select an understrength side this weekend to allow his players enough rest. Marry that with a determined Betis looking to right their Copa embarrassments and the result might not be a simple home win that all colchoneros hope for.
Team news
Perhaps the best part of Thursday’s manita was Ademola Lookman‘s dream debut. The Nigeria international gave Atleti a new string to their bow in the form of a pacy left winger that the like has never been seen before in rojiblanco history. Unless Simeone opts to give him an unlikely rest already, he’ll be a starter on Sunday.
It was the Atlético Madrid midfield that proved too strong for Real Betis in midweek, with the very Spanish-looking middle of the park running rings around their green and white counterparts. According to Atlético Stats, there were 24 separate occasions where Atleti strung together 10 or more passes in sequence throughout the game, and a large part of that was down to the stellar performance of Pablo Barrios. Unfortunately the youngster went off with a hamstring injury and will be out for around four weeks, meaning he won’t be available this time. Johnny Cardoso is also ruled out, leaving the midfield looking rather thin.
But never fear, Rodrigo Mendoza is here! The even-younger Spanish midfielder, freshly signed from Elche, came on in the latter stages of the cup match and very much impressed. He found his target with 19/19 passes attempted and won all three of the duels contested in the 25 or so minutes played. Whether or not his manager trusts him to start just yet remains to be seen, with Nahuel Molina at right-back to allow Marcos Llorente into midfield another option.
It was bittersweet to see Julián Alvarez given a rare 90 minutes rest in Seville, given how well his teammates managed without him. With Lookman running the show and Álex Baena now playing from a deeper, more central playmaking role, it could allow la araña to be the out-and-out number nine he wants to be. He will be able to be the one benefitting from the service provided, rather than the one feeling the need to conjure up the service himself.
That being said, Alexander Sørloth is theoretically available again after his head injury last week against Levante, and he will want that lone striker spot for himself. Expect both forwards to be given minutes in some capacity.
Predicted lineup
Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Hancko; Giuliano, Llorente, Koke, Almada; Lookman, Alvarez