After failing to win in three games across all competitions, Atletico Madrid look to break the jinx as they return to their La Liga campaign with a Sunday afternoon fixture against Leganes at home.
Diego Simeone’s men have won just one of their last four domestic matches but are nonetheless third in the La Liga table. Their opponents this weekend, Leganes, lie 17th with eight points from their nine league matches so far this season.
Match Preview:
Atletico Madrid have gone through a pretty unspectacular start in the 2024-25 La Liga season with four wins and five draws for 17 points from nine matches, yet they already are seven points off league leaders Barcelona. While Atletico beat Celta Vigo 1-0 at the end of September, they’ve drawn their last two league games against Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Despite not having lost a single match in La Liga, Simeone’s men had lost 4-0 to Benfica in the Champions League earlier in the month, placing extra pressure on Atletico going into the return Champions League fixture with Lille. They also face a tough end to October with a La Liga clash with Real Betis as well as opening their Copa del Rey campaign with Vic.
This season, Atletico have been solid as a rock in defense, having let in just five goals in nine games, the best defensive record in the league. However, up front, things have been somewhat less impressive with just 13 goals scored so far.
The team of Leganes led by head coach Borja Jimenez, have faced more troubles in the early stages of the season. Having taken only one win with five draws and three defeats in the nine matches that they played, the team holds the 17th position just above the relegation zone. All in all, Leganes have struggled to score with just a paltry return of five goals so far-a tally that ranks them with Valencia as the worst offensive record in the league. At the same time, though, they have been relatively tight at the back, conceding only nine goals.
Leganes are unbeaten in the last three league games as they have shared spoils with Getafe, Rayo Vallecano, and Valencia. They would want to build on that and not slip further into the relegation trouble. The last time that they faced Atletico, they managed to hold them to a goalless draw back in January 2020 and Atletico’s last two victories over Leganes were narrow 1-0 wins.
Form Guide
Atletico Madrid La Liga form: WWDWDD
Atletico Madrid form (all competitions): WDWDLD
Leganes La Liga form: LLLDDD
Team News:
Atletico Madrid will have to make do without Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, and Cesar Azpilicueta due to injuries. There may be a couple of changes from the lineup that drew against Real Sociedad, with Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino possibly coming into the starting XI. Alexander Sorloth has not been in any great form, with just one league goal to his name thus far, and hence Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez may be expected to lead the attack.
For Leganes, Naim Garcia is doubtful with a muscular problem but the rest of the squad is in good condition. Renato Tapia and Matija Nastasic should be back in the frame after recovering from their respective injury problems. Jimenez may not make any changes to the team which was defeated by Valencia, although Miguel de la Fuente might come into the attack instead of Sebastien Haller.
Predicted Lineups:
Atletico Madrid (3-5-2): Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Lenglet; Molina, De Paul, Koke, Gallagher, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez Leganes (4-2-3-1): Dmitrovic; Rosier, Saenz, Gonzalez, Hernandez; Neyou, Cisse; Cruz, Lopez, Alti; De la Fuente Atletico Madrid look to get back to winning ways and with pace as La Liga’s leaders, while Leganes want a continuation of their recent rugged streak to make the most of a critical result at Wanda Metropolitano.
