Atletico Madrid vs. Malaga: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Hauled back into the La Liga title race by Barcelona’s recent and dramatic loss of form, Atletico Madrid are hot on the heels of the Catalans, chasing a second league title in three years.
Midweek wins for both clubs and Real Madrid have intensified a dramatic finale few people saw coming, and Atletico’s next challenge comes against a mid-table Malaga side who will be looking to repeat their surprise 1-0 victory over Diego Simeone’s men just before Christmas.
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Yet buoyed by both their UEFA Champions League progress and their newly alive domestic ambitions, Atletico will be determined not to drop any more points either to their opponents here or anyone else.
Simeone’s men are a driven, focused unit at the best of times, and when there’s a title on the line, that focus only becomes more intense.
Date: Saturday, April 23
Time: 5.15 p.m. BST / 12.15 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid
TV Info: Sky Sports 5
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Atletico Madrid
Won 5-1 vs. Real Betis
Lost 2-1 vs. Barcelona
Won 3-1 vs. Espanyol
Won 2-0 vs. Barcelona
Won 3-0 vs. Granada
Won 1-0 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Malaga
Won 1-0 vs. Sporting Gijon
Won 1-0 vs. Real Betis
Drew 1-1 vs. Espanyol
Drew 0-0 vs. Granada
Lost 1-0 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Drew 1-1 vs. Rayo Vallecano
Team News
Atletico Madrid
Simeone is sure to have the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Pep Guardiola and Bayern Munich in mind when he selects his team, but he can’t afford to take too many risks given the tight nature of the title race.
His big hitters Antoine Griezmann, Fernando Torres and Koke are all likely to play after coming through the Athletic Bilbao clash unscathed, with the aim surely to try to establish an early lead and then withdraw them ready for battle again on Wednesday. Diego Godin, though, is set to miss out after he limped off early in Bilbao to become a serious doubt for Bayern Munich.
Gabi will return from suspension after missing the midweek game, but there are still no returns for the injured Jose Gimenez or Tiago.
Possible XI: Oblak, Juanfran, Savic, Lucas, Filipe Luis, Gabi, Saul, Koke, Ferreira-Carrasco, Griezmann, Torres.
Malaga
Javi Gracia’s Malaga have been specialists at being consistently inconsistent for the vast majority of this season, but the upshot of it all is that they are one of a clutch of La Liga sides who have neither European pressure or relegation issues to worry about for the remainder of the campaign.
That means that Gracia might be interested in experimenting with next season in mind, although he’ll know that his team will need to defend well if they are to take anything from the Vicente Calderon.
Fresh from a 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano in midweek, in which Federico Ricca grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser, on-loan winger Christian Atsu could start as Los Boquerones seek a little width to help spring counter-attacks. Veteran forward Roque Santa Cruz will compete with Duje Cop or the Brazilian Charles for the lone attacking role.
Possible XI: Ochoa, Miguel Torres, Albentosa, Weligton, Ricca, Camacho, Recio, Atsu, Anor, Castro, Cop.
Key Players
Atletico Madrid: Fernando Torres
Unsure of a place in the starting lineup to face Bayern Munich in midweek, Fernando Torres will be desperate to impress here and to keep alive the fine form that he’s shown of late.
The Atletico club legend seemingly hasn’t given up hope of gatecrashing Spain’s Euro 2016 squad, and an impressive display here will only add to the calls to include him.
Malaga: Guillermo Ochoa
Standing in his way, though, will be the Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has been an able deputy for Carlos Kameni this season.
With the Cameroon No. 1 injured, Ochoa has taken on the responsibility of the No. 1 shirt well, although he retains an air of inconsistency rather like his club.
He’ll need to be at his best here.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Atletico Madrid: 1-3
Malaga: 15-2
Draw: 4-1
