Eibar vs. Atletico Madrid: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Atletico Madrid’s perfect start to the season was spoiled by Barcelona last weekend, and the chance to get back to winning ways is coming at one of La Liga’s surprise packages of the campaign.
Two wins and a draw from their opening three games place Eibar fifth in the table going into the weekend, a position that no-one from the Basque club—least of all manager Jose Luis Mendilibar—will have thought possible.
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Having been reinstated to the top division in the summer following the financial mismanagement at Elche, per BBC Sport, Eibar seem to be making the most of their good fortune, although it is true to say that with the visit of Atletico comes their toughest test of the season so far.
Two goals from Antoine Griezmann gave Diego Simeone’s side the perfect start to their Champions League campaign at Galatasaray in midweek, and they’ll be targeting nothing other than a victory in Gipuzkoa.
Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 7:30 p.m. BST / 2:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Ipurua Municipal Stadium, Eibar
TV Info: Sky Sports
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results (excluding friendlies)
Eibar
Lost 2-0 vs. Espanyol
Drew 1-1 vs. Getafe
Won 3-0 vs. Cordoba
Won 3-1 vs. Granada
Won 2-0 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Drew 0-0 vs. Malaga
Atletico Madrid
Lost 1-0 vs. Barcelona
Drew 0-0 vs. Granada
Won 1-0 vs. Las Palmas
Won 3-0 vs. Sevilla
Lost 2-1 vs. Barcelona
Won 2-0 vs. Galatasaray
Predicted Lineups
Eibar
The hosts are likely to stick to the setup which has served them so well so far this season, with three players roaming behind the lone forward, Sergi Enrich, and Gonzalo Escalante and Dani Garcia sitting in midfield.
Junca and Borja Baston came off the bench in the goalless draw at Malaga, but don’t appear to have done enough to force themselves into the starting XI.
Possible lineup: Asier Riesgo, Ander Capa, Dos Santos, Ramis, Luna, Escalante, Dani Garcia, Keko, Adrian, Saul Berjon, Sergi Enrich.
Atletico Madrid
Jackson Martinez and Luciano Vietto came in for their first starts of the season in the win at Galatasaray, and while the Colombian could keep his place, it is unlikely that Vietto will as well.
Oliver Torres could also return to the La Liga lineup after only coming on for the final 10 minutes in Turkey, with Simeone’s selection likely to be made up of a mixture of the players which have started the two games in the past week, with Filipe Luis returning to the XI.
Possible lineup: Oblak, Juanfran, Gimenez, Godin, Filipe Luis, Tiago, Gabi, Koke, Oliver Torres, Griezmann, Martinez.
Key Players
Eibar: Adrian
Elche’s relegation and Eibar’s reprieve allowed Adrian Gonzalez to jump ship from one to the other in the summer, and the wide man has immediately impressed at his new club with two goals already this season.
Likely to take up a role just off Sergi Enrich, Adrian will have an important role in terms of ensuring that Eibar’s lone forward doesn’t get too isolated in the face of what is to be certain pressure on the home side, and if he can do that and continue to develop his eye for goal, then the hosts are going to have an outside chance.
Atletico Madrid: Antoine Griezmann
He’s bounced into this season in the finest of form, and Antoine Griezmann is again going to be vital as Atletico seek a good result on the road so soon after his two goals in the win at Galatasaray.
The French international will drift in from the right in support of Martinez—if he starts—and will be a vital point of contact if the visitors are to continue to show the attacking intent which was so evident in the wins at Sevilla and Galatasaray.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Eibar – 5/1
Atletico – 5/8
Draw – 13/5
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