Atl. Madrid – Girona : Preview & Prediction
Just a few days after Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo assured that it will be Diego Simeone who will decide when his time as Atletico coach will end, the red-and-white team gave a poor performance in the Champions League, losing 2-0 away to Club Brugge. In LaLiga Santander (LL), Atleti record their worst numbers after seven games in four years (G4, E1, P2), but surely Cerezo remembers how Simeone guided Atleti to finish second after winning just three of their first seven games in LL 2018-19. There is no reason to panic, at least for now.
This Saturday’s game will be Atleti’s first clash against a newly promoted side in the current league campaign. In the previous season, Los Rojiblancos won four of their six meetings with promoted teams (G4, P2), but only one of those victories was by a margin of at least two goals. Last matchday, Simeone’s side got back to winning ways at the Sánchez-Pizjuán and will now have a good opportunity to start a positive series at the Metropolitano. It should be noted that all four of Atleti’s wins in LL 2022-23 have come against clubs ranked between 9th and 20th at the start of this matchday.
Girona, which averaged 1.17 goals conceded per game in the first six rounds, conceded five in its first match after the international break (GIR 3-5 Real Sociedad). Against Real, the Girona squad conceded its highest number of goals in an LL match since a 6-1 defeat at Camp Nou in February 2018. Girona’s four defeats in the current championship have all come against clubs ranked between 1st and 11th after the last matchday, and Míchel’s side will need to do very well to get a positive result against an Atleti side that cannot afford to slip up again at home.
“We struck, but Real knocked out,” said Míchel after the spectacular clash against the txuri-urdin side at Montilivi. The Madrid coach expressed his concern about the defensive composure lost, something that has allowed goals from the Girona draw against Girona in each of their last three league games (G1, P2). For the visit to the Metropolitano, Girona will be able to count on the participation of Rodrigo Riquelme, their first goal scorer against Real and on loan from Atleti but without fear clause.
Players to watch: with his second-half goal last matchday, Alvaro Morata is the second Atleti player to have scored in two of their four LL wins this season. The start of the season between the posts at Girona has been difficult for Juan Carlos Martín, who has started 13 LL matches while conceding at least one goal.
Key stat: in ten of their last 11 LL matches (G7, E2, P1), Atleti have kept a clean sheet in the first half.
Atl. Madrid – Girona : Betting Tips
Atl. Madrid – Win Odds: 1.35
