Atletico Madrid vs. Celta Vigo: Key Issues That Will Shape La Liga Game

Atletico Madrid face Celta Vigo in La Liga at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday, looking to bounce back from their 3-2 defeat to Olympiakos in the Champions League earlier this week. 

To return to winning ways, Diego Simeone's team will need to overcome the absence of first-choice striker Mario Mandzukic, who suffered a broken nose in Tuesday's encounter in Greece and is expected to be sidelined for two weeks, per Marca.

After an uncharacteristic display in defence, the Atleti boss will also have some decisions to make over the composition of his midfield and back four, as the Spanish champions prepare to take on a Celta Vigo outfit that has enjoyed a strong start to the season in front of goal. 

Across the following slides, we examine five key issues that will shape Saturday's clash. 

Mario Mandzukic's Absence

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Mario Mandzukic will be unavailable for Atletico Madrid against Celta Vigo after suffering a broken nose in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Olympiakos. 

A powerful target man for Diego Simeone's team, Los Colchoneros will be forced to reshuffle their attack considerably in the Croatian's absence. 

Typically one to deploy two men upfront, the Argentinian could opt for the raw Raul Jimenez alongside a more accomplished finisher such as Antoine Griezmann or Alessio Cerci. In such a situation, Raul Garcia will likely be instructed to float forward from his position on the right side of midfield to bolster the team's options. 

But while Simeone has an array of forward choices, Mandzukic has been at the heart of everything Atleti have done in attack—mainly dominating set pieces—since switching from Bayern Munich this summer, meaning his absence will be difficult to cover.

Can Fabian Orellana and Joaquin Larrivey Fire Again?

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Despite the departure of former manager Luis Enrique to Barcelona, Celta Vigo haven't missed a beat so far this season, continuing the form displayed in an impressive 2013-14 campaign. 

At the heart of the team's success has been Os Celestes' control of possession and the presence of a potent quartet of scoring options. 

Last term, it was Nolito and Charles who proved most dangerous, while this season, Fabian Orellana and former Rayo Vallecano star Joaquin Larrivey have enjoyed hot starts.

The Argentinian Larrivey has quickly established himself in the centre of Eduardo Berizzo's attack, with the Chilean flanking him on the right—a combination that has produced five goals in three La Liga games thus far. 

Atletico Madrid, of course, are among the strongest defensive units in Europe, but Tuesday's clash with Olympiakos showed there are areas of vulnerability in Diego Simeone's side. 

Koke's Positioning in Midfield

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While Koke has spent the bulk of his time at Atletico Madrid playing on the left and right sides of midfield, there have been signs that the talented Spaniard will shift into the centre this season. 

Vicente del Bosque has already made it clear that Koke is the man to cover the international retirements of Xavi and Xabi Alonso for Spain. Diego Simeone, too, has utilised the 22-year-old in a more dominant role, doing so in Atletico's 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. 

Against Celta Vigo, it's likely Koke will be given that responsibility again, affording his team more control in midfield with a technical capacity that is considerably stronger than that of Gabi, Tiago or Mario Suarez. 

With Mario Mandzukic missing, that control will be needed, as Atleti won't be able to rely as heavily on their dominance at set pieces. 

Who Does Diego Simeone Play at Left-Back?

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Covering the departure of Filipe Luis to Chelsea has proved somewhat difficult thus far for Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid.

While both Guilherme Siqueira and Cristian Ansaldi have been brought to the Vicente Calderon this season, the left-back position remains a minor headache for the Spanish champions. 

In Siqueira, Simeone has an attacking full-back far more effective when going forward, while Ansaldi looked far from comfortable in Atleti's back four against Olympiakos on Tuesday.

Given that Celta Vigo's potent Fabian Orellana will be one of the pair's direct opponent on Saturday, it's imperative that Simeone gets his selection right.

A Battle of Contrasting Styles

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Still playing with the same possession-based approach that was evident under Luis Enrique last season, Celta Vigo are one of the teams in the Spanish Primera Division who embody a very different style to Atletico Madrid. 

More in the mould of Barcelona—though obviously not at that level—Os Celestes will look to break down Diego Simeone's side with a pass-and-move method, slowly working their way through midfield before trying to release Fabian Orellana, Joaquin Larrivey or Nolito in behind the defence. 

Atletico Madrid, however, have proven that they're supremely well equipped to deal with such teams and have won all of their last four meetings with Celta Vigo. 

With a robust midfield that typically unsettles opposing sides, Diego Simeone's men will look to pressure the visitors around the half-way line, before breaking into the spaces left behind.