Atletico Madrid vs. Cordoba: Key Issues and Decisions That Will Shape Liga Game
Only two points separate the top five teams at the summit of La Liga, and the champions are once again amongst the elite.
The defeat to Valencia was a wake-up call for Diego Simeone's men, and they have responded well with victories over Espanyol and Getafe.
Cordoba sacked manager Albert Ferrer after they lost at home to Malaga and replaced him with former Valencia and Real Valladolid coach Miroslav Djukic.
The Serbian managed to secure a point against Real Sociedad in his debut match in charge, although this was the club's fifth draw of the campaign.
Atleti have yet to be beaten this term at the Vicente Calderon, while Cordoba is the only team in the division not to have won a game.
Here are the key decisions and issues that will shape the meeting.
Does Simeone Rotate Ahead of Champions League?
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In the previous campaign, Atletico had a relatively thin squad and exceeded expectations.
Simeone now realises that a repeat performance would be unrealistic, and on the back of a World Cup, many players would develop fatigue and pick up injuries.
The Argentine isn't one for mass changes, but even the slightest of amendments can make a difference.
Jesus Gamez, Saul Niguez and Jose Gimenez have all made their first starts in recent weeks.
It makes more sense to rotate against Cordoba than the likes of Sevilla and Valencia.
4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 for Atletico
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With Diego Costa and David Villa the strikers last season, Simeone often opted for a 4-4-2 formation.
However, as both players departed in the summer and due to the poor form of the strikers in the league this term, it's no longer as straightforward.
Mario Mandzukic tapped in the winner in a tight match with Getafe, but the Croatian has yet to form a considerable partnership with any of the other strikers.
A 4-2-3-1 appears to be the more logical choice at present, as this enables Atleti to get another attacking midfielder on the pitch.
Antoine Griezmann, Raul Garcia and Arda Turan are likely to operate behind the lone forward.
On the other hand, it might be a good opportunity to give Alessio Cerci his first La Liga start since arriving from Torino.
Gabi: In or Out?
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The Atleti captain was rested last weekend, but he is expected to return to the first 11.
Against Getafe, Simeone decided to push Koke back into a deeper position and use him alongside more of a natural holding midfielder in Mario Suarez.
This enabled Koke to get on the ball more, but he was actually less productive—in comparison with the Espanyol match, in which he was virtually a winger, via FourFourTwo Stats Zone—in terms of chances created.
It might be a good time to experiment with using Gabi and Koke as a partnership, even if there are doubts over the combination defensively.
The assists made by Gabi and Koke mean they are fundamental to the team's creativity at present, but the club skipper was the first to be removed when tactics weren't going to plan against both Real Madrid and Olympiakos.
Xisco to Start for Cordoba
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Francisco Jimenez Tejada (better known as Xisco) left Newcastle over 18 months ago after five years at the club.
His time in England was the subject of plenty of ridicule, scoring just one goal for the Geordies on his debut, according to the BBC.
He spent most of his time out on loan, with unsuccessful spells at Racing Santander and back at first club Deportivo La Coruna.
Now with Cordoba, the forward had a decent scoring record in the Segunda last term, but he hasn't started for the club in the top flight.
He scored the equaliser with minutes remaining against La Real, and it might be worth Djukic taking advantage of his new belief.
