Levante vs. Atletico Madrid: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
A UEFA Champions League final against their city rivals is suddenly on the Atletico Madrid horizon, but anyone who thinks that will take attention away from the club’s La Liga challenge doesn’t know Diego Simeone.
The Atletico boss will remain as determined as ever in the title race, especially given that his club’s match this weekend will kick off at the same time as those of their title competitors.
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That match comes at an already relegated Levante, who saw their six-year stay in Spain’s top flight come to an end when they lost 3-1 at Malaga on Monday night, a result that meant it is no longer possible for them to escape the bottom three.
An easy task for Simeone and his team then? The Argentinean boss will hope so following the gruelling midweek clash with Bayern Munich, but he will also doubtless be wary of a side who have nothing to lose.
Date: Sunday, May 8
Time: 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET
Venue: Estadio Ciudad de Valencia, Valencia
TV Info: Sky Sports red button
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Levante
Drew 0-0 vs. Sporting Gijon
Lost 1-0 vs. Real Betis
Won 2-1 vs. Espanyol
Lost 5-1 vs. Granada
Drew 2-2 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Lost 3-1 vs. Malaga
Atletico Madrid
Won 3-0 vs. Granada
Won 1-0 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Won 1-0 vs. Malaga
Won 1-0 vs. Bayern Munich
Won 1-0 vs. Rayo Vallecano
Lost 2-1 vs. Bayern Munich
Team News
Levante
With relegation now confirmed, Levante head coach Rubi might feel that—to use Aston Villa defender Joleon Lescott’s now infamous logic—a "weight has been lifted off his shoulders" ahead of this one, and he could look to send his side out to attack against the Champions League finalists.
No fresh injuries have been reported after the defeat at Malaga that confirmed relegation, although the Brazilian forward Deyverson could be called into the starting lineup in place of Victor Casadesus, who he replaced in the second half on Monday night.
Forward Giuseppe Rossi is set to play in the final home game of his loan spell from Fiorentina, during which he has scored five goals.
Possible XI: Marino, Juanfran, Feddal, Medjani, Pedro Lopez, Verza, Jose Mari, Cuero, Morales, Deyverson, Rossi.
Atletico Madrid
Simeone must find a balance between protecting players for the Champions League challenge that lies ahead, resting those who are spent following their midweek efforts in Munich and ensuring they don’t lose both focus and desire in a title race that can still be won.
There aren’t likely to be a vast amount of changes from the team that performed at the Allianz Arena, although Stefan Savic could come into the side for Jose Gimenez, who looked a little ragged in the face of Bayern’s pressure and conceded a penalty.
Angel Correa and Luciano Vietto will both hope to profit should Fernando Torres be rested, while Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco will hope for a start.
Possible XI: Oblak, Juanfran, Savic, Godin, Filipe Luis, Gabi, Saul, Koke, Ferreira-Carrasco, Correa, Griezmann.
Key Men
Levante: Giuseppe Rossi
Blighted by fitness problems and no longer the forward upon whom such high hopes were placed when he came through at Manchester United, eyebrows were nonetheless raised when Giuseppe Rossi opted to join Levante on loan in January.
The 30-times capped Italy international has been unable to fire the Valencia-based side to safety, but he’ll hope to bow out with a bang, and a goal on his final home appearance against the Champions League finalists would certainly do that.
Atletico Madrid: Jan Oblak
Of course Atletico should easily sweep to victory against an already relegated outfit, but the Champions League clash in Munich reminded us all of Jan Oblak’s quality and importance, with the game surely headed in a different direction if he hadn’t saved Thomas Muller’s first-half penalty.
The Slovenian shot-stopper is one of a growing number of excellent young 'keepers in the game today, and if he’s at his best, then another clean sheet should be on the way.
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Levante—13/2
Atletico Madrid—1/2
Draw—3/1
