Atlético Madrid host Osasuna in the 9 p.m. kickoff on Saturday night, as Los Rojiblancos begin a stretch of six games in 20 days with a squad that is returning to full fitness.
Though Johnny Cardoso is still battling an ankle injury, Atlético (3-4-1, 13 points) will welcome back Thiago Almada and Josema Giménez for this game — the latter is expected to play his first competitive fixture in four months. If they win, Diego Simeone’s men will end the round in the top four; Villarreal and Real Betis,
both ahead of Atleti, meet in the 6:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.
Osasuna (3-1-4, 10 points) have impressed at times under new boss Alessio Lisci — whose only other meeting with Simeone resulted in a win. Like Atlético, Osasuna are winless away from home this season; Los Rojillos have lost all four fixtures away from the cozy confines of El Sadar, and they will be without veteran defender Juan Cruz as well as key midfielder Aimar Oroz for their clash with Atleti.
“Atlético is a team that plays very well,” Lisci told reporters on Friday. “For me, right now, they have the best playing style of any Spanish team.”
Team news
It hasn’t happened since the middle of August, but Simeone on Saturday will have his “magic trident” in midfield: Almada, Álex Baena, and Pablo Barrios are expected to share the pitch for only the second time — though it remains to be seen whether one, two, or all three will make the starting lineup.
With Clément Lenglet suspended following his red card at Celta Vigo, my bet is that Giménez will return to the lineup right away; whether his presence will help Atlético keep only its second clean sheet this season remains to be seen, but Simeone will need someone with aggression and aerial ability to challenge Osasuna center-forward Ante Budimir.
In midfield, Baena and Nico Gonzalez may well start from the bench following their international appearances for Spain and Argentina respectively. Up top, a rested Julián Alvarez will try to get closer to Kylian Mbappé in the Pichichi race; Antoine Griezmann probably will partner him.
Predicted 11 Oblak; Llorente, Giménez, Le Normand, Hancko; Koke, Barrios, Almada, Giuliano; Griezmann, Alvarez.
