Getafe vs. Atletico Madrid: Key Issues That Will Shape La Liga Game
In the final fixture of this weekend's La Liga action, Atletico Madrid will make the very short journey south to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez to take on Getafe on Sunday evening.
Fresh from handing out a 5-0 hammering to Malmo FF in the Champions League on Wednesday, the defending Spanish champions will be confident of extending their winning run against a team they dismantled 7-0 at the Vicente Calderon last season.
Getafe, meanwhile, will hope to continue their brief resurgence of recent weeks that has followed a difficult opening to the campaign, with seven points from matches against Malaga, Cordoba and Real Sociedad pushing Cosmin Contra's men into the top half of the league table.
Across the following slides, we examine five key issues that will shape Sunday's clash.
Diego Simeone's Choice of Formation
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All season, Diego Simeone has been needing to develop new methods in attack for this Atletico Madrid team after the departure of Diego Costa to Chelsea. And on Wednesday against Malmo FF, he looked to have found the approach that can carry Los Colchoneros forward without their prolific striker.
Moving away from his characteristic 4-4-2 shape, Simeone sent out his team in an aggressive 4-3-3, flanking Mario Mandzukic up front with Antoine Griezmann and Arda Turan, instantly seeing Atleti have a greater and more fluid attacking presence.
One senses the Argentine may only use such a system against inferior opponents and will look to the defensive strength of his 4-4-2 for clashes with the heavyweights, but Sunday's meeting with Getafe presents an opportunity to deploy that attacking 4-3-3 again as Atletico look to develop a new attacking identity.
Getafe's Weakness in the Air
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Atletico Madrid's strength in the air is no secret. In La Liga—and perhaps across Europe—no team overwhelms their opponents in the aerial duels quite like Diego Simeone's men.
Already this season, we've watched the defending champions turn to their aerial prowess at set pieces to overcome a sluggish start in front of goal—an area of excellence that's so good it's been able to keep Atleti within touching distance of Barcelona and Real Madrid despite indifferent form.
Against Getafe on Sunday, it's likely Los Colchoneros will command the aerial battle again, given the home side's relative weakness above the ground.
To date in this La Liga campaign, Los Azulones have the second-worst aerial-duel differential (difference between average duels won and lost per game) in the league at -4.0, per WhoScored.com.
In contrast, Atletico rank second at +5.7.
Those numbers indicate the visitors will have a decisive advantage in an area which is undoubtedly their biggest strength.
Yoda's Battle with Guilherme Siqueira
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No, Atletico Madrid are not about to face a pint-sized Jedi Master when they visit the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Sunday.
But they will face Getafe's hugely impressive summer signing, Karim Yoda, whose late brace snatched the points for Getafe against Real Sociedad at the Anoeta on Monday.
A right-sided attacker, Yoda's pace and inclination to cut inside onto his dangerous left boot can pose problems for Diego Simeone this weekend, with Guilherme Siqueira likely to line up at left-back again due to the injury to Cristian Ansaldi, who missed the Champions League clash with Malmo FF.
Siqueira enjoyed a promising performance on Wednesday, but he's still very much a progressive full-back with a questionable defensive awareness.
Yoda, perhaps Getafe's most potent threat, has the ability to expose the Brazilian's positioning, provided his midfield counterparts in Pablo Sarabia, Juan Rodriguez and Mehdi Lacen can garner enough possession to provide him with a source of supply.
Availability of Gabi and Tiago
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Both of Diego Simeone's midfield stalwarts Tiago and Gabi missed Wednesday's Champions League clash with Malmo FF due to injury.
In their places, Mario Suarez and Saul Niguez formed the base of Atletico Madrid's midfield, with Koke pushing higher to join in the attacks with Arda Turan and Antoine Griezmann.
But although both replacements enjoyed strong performances against the Swedish champions, Los Colchoneros are significantly stronger with Tiago and Gabi in the lineup, both of whom form a large part of the heart and soul of Simeone's squad.
Blending physicality with an attacking threat (particularly Gabi's delivery at set pieces) the pair would be a welcome return should they prove their fitness for Sunday's clash.
Antoine Griezmann's Minutes
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It's taken considerable time for Antoine Griezmann to settle in at Atletico Madrid since moving to the Spanish capital from Real Sociedad in the summer.
But against Malmo FF on Wednesday, the Frenchman sparkled, completing his finest performance of the season as a free, roaming forward in Diego Simeone's attacking 4-3-3 system.
Yet, the Atleti boss has been unwilling to award the club's major signing consistent minutes this season, with the 23-year-old not making consecutive starts for Los Colchoneros since clashes with Celta Vigo and Almeria last month.
After such an impressive midweek display, one senses it's time for Simeone to unleash Griezmann as the team looks to establish a new attacking rhythm in this period of adjustment.
And if he starts against Getafe and replicates Wednesday's performance, the visitors should comfortably walk away with the points on Sunday.
