Celta Vigo vs. Atletico Madrid: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Stream, TV Info
Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo is a thrice-recurring fixture in the space of just 17 days in Spain, with the two sides already having met in La Liga and now facing off over two legs in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
It was the capital-city club and current table-toppers who emerged triumphant on a wet evening in Vigo in early January, with second-half goals from Antoine Griezmann and Yannick Carrasco proving enough to take the points in a 2-0 win.
Despite plenty of possession from Celta, the penetration simply wasn't there on their part and Atletico's notoriously stingy defence would not be breached in that game.
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Indeed, in the two matches since that fixture, Atletico still haven't conceded, so the big task for Celta—understrength in attack due to Nolito's ongoing injury absence—is clear to see.
In that first meeting, there was also the curiosity of Augusto Fernandez to take into account; he had departed Celta just a week or so previously to join Atletico, covering for the injured Tiago and attempting to make inroads into Los Rojiblancos' starting XI with immediate effect.
His challenges in the centre were as familiar to Celta as anything else on the pitch—but they were being made to stop Eduardo Berizzo's team this time, not help them.
Fernandez hasn't quite shown his best level yet in his first few games at Atletico, but his departure certainly doesn't help Celta any either. They are lacking in numbers and in real protection for the defence, and over two legs, Atletico have to be the favourites to progress to the semi-finals.
". @Simeone: "We're focusing on tomorrow's match as if it were the last." #CeltaAtleti #GoAtleti #CopadelRey pic.twitter.com/4kXHjuApdd
— Atleti English (@atletienglish) January 19, 2016"
If Celta are to have any hope of going through at all, they must find a positive result in the home leg and that means breaching Atleti's tough defence, led by Diego Godin.
Atletico certainly have the squad to handle rotations in the Copa, but the biggest cause for celebration from a Celta point of view will likely be the changing of goalkeepers in Atleti's goal: Miguel Angel Moya is talented, but Jan Oblak is on another level entirely.
Date: Wednesday, January 20
Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT/2:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Municipal de Balaidos, Vigo
TV Info: TVE La1 (ESP)
Live Stream: LaLigaTVCopa (UK), beIN SPORTS CONNECT (USA)
The Teams
Celta Vigo have had an extremely straight-forward route to the quarter-finals, beating struggling Segunda Division side Almeria 4-1 on aggregate, before being paired with Cadiz in the last round. A routine 5-0 aggregate win there sent them through to the last eight.
Atletico saw off Reus Deportiu with a 3-1 aggregate scoreline, before dispatching top-flight side Rayo Vallecano in the last round, 4-1 over the two legs.
That's their Copa del Rey form—but in La Liga, Atletico are the team to beat. They top the table by two points, with Celta Vigo in fifth. Just two matchweeks ago, Atleti beat Celta at the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos by a 2-0 scoreline.
Team News
Celta striker John Guidetti scored three of those five in the last round and, after hitting a brace in La Liga at the weekend, he could well have earned himself another start in this fixture.
Celta's options in attack are somewhat limited as they remain without the injured Nolito, while Fernandez's sale means Pablo Hernandez has had to drop back into a more structured central-midfield position.
Josep Sene and Theo Bongonda are in contention for starts after sporadically impressing in wide areas of the attack in recent weeks.
Celta have made two new signings—holding midfielder Marcelo Diaz and winger Claudio Beauvue. There is no confirmation yet as to whether they will be involved in the Copa fixture.
"Marcelo Díaz will wear the number 5 shirt pic.twitter.com/OFU76BvUkJ
— Celta De Vigo UK (@UKCelta) January 17, 2016"
For Atletico, Diego Simeone has tended to rotate his team for the cup, with goalkeeper Moya certain to retain his place in the competition and the likes of Jesus Gamez, Stefan Savic and Matias Kranevitter all probable starters.
Guilherme Siqueira, Saul, Tiago and Fernando Torres have been left out of the squad, the latter two because of injury.
"Squad list (1/2): Moyá, Oblak, Godín, Filipe, Savic, Gámez, Juanfran, Giménez, Koke, Kranevitter... #CeltaAtleti #GoAtleti
— Atleti English (@atletienglish) January 19, 2016"
"Squad list (2/2): Óliver, Augusto, Gabi, Carrasco, Thomas, Griezmann, Jackson, Correa and Vietto #CeltaAtleti #GoAtleti
— Atleti English (@atletienglish) January 19, 2016"
Possible Lineups
Celta (4-2-3-1): Ruben Blanco; Hugo Mallo, Gustavo Cabral, Sergi Gomez, Jonny Castro; Nemanja Radoja, Daniel Wass; Iago Aspas, Fabian Orellana, Theo Bongonda; John Guidetti.
Atleti (4-4-2): Miguel Angel Moya; Jesus Gamez, Stefan Savic, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis; Koke, Gabi, Matias Kranevitter, Yannick Carrasco; Jackson Martinez, Angel Correa.
Player to Watch: Jackson Martinez, ATM
A big-money signing he might have been, but Jackson Martinez should be in no doubt that Luciano Vietto is the current starter in attack for Atletico Madrid right now and the Colombian has work to do to reclaim his place.
Vietto hasn't hit the scoring trail himself, but his work rate, link play and end product in the form of assists have certainly been on an upward trajectory, and he is in the side on merit—at least in a straight one-on-one battle with Jackson.
Jackson has to get back some of those powerful, clinical and forward-looking performances he showed at Porto, and the Copa is likely to be the only starting chance he is handed until he shows he deserves more game time.
Prediction: Celta 1-1 Atleti
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