Atlético Madrid and Real Betis will square off Monday night in a game of major importance for both sides’ ambitions as they fight to end round 10 inside LaLiga’s top four.
The pressure is well and truly on Atlético (4-4-1, 16 points) entering this 10 p.m. kickoff, and the players seem to be keenly feeling it when they’re not within the comfy confines of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Following Tuesday’s 4-0 loss at Arsenal, Atleti have made it six away games without a win this season — and should Diego
Simeone’s men want to take advantage of the result in El Clásico, they need to secure their first win at Real Betis in over three years and return to the Champions League places.
Real Betis (4-4-1, 16 points) are pushing on in the wake of its loss to Chelsea in May’s UEFA Europa Conference League final. Despite talisman Isco’s continued absence through injury, Manuel Pellegrini has kept Betis competitive; the Verdiblancos made a successful summer-long push to retain Antony from Manchester United, and the winger bagged his first two goals of the league season in last week’s 2-2 draw at Villarreal.
The summer recruitment drive also saw Betis re-acquire full-back Júnior Firpo and acquire Rodrigo Riquelme from Atlético as part of the Johnny Cardoso deal; Riquelme has started five games in LaLiga, recording one assists in 383 minutes. To replace Johnny, Betis secured Sofyan Amrabat on a year-long loan from Fenerbahçe.
Team news
Despite some debate at training in recent days, Simeone seems to have decided that Alexander Sørloth will start on the bench against Real Betis. This means, for the first time since August’s friendly at Newcastle United, that Álex Baena will partner Julián Alvarez in attack.
El Cholo did not blame his midfield for Tuesday’s thumping defeat in North London; he is poised to select the same quartet, with Johnny (ankle) possibly in line to return from his injury against his former team. Johnny has struggled for fitness since he completed a €24 million transfer to Atlético from Betis in July; if he does not play at La Cartuja, he should be in contention for Saturday’s home game against Sevilla.
In defense, Clément Lenglet faces long odds to recover his once-assured place in defense, as Simeone has likely nailed down his first choice defense: Marcos Llorente and Dávid Hancko at the full-back/wide center-back positions, Josema Giménez and Robin Le Normand serving as pure central defenders. This news isn’t great for Marc Pubill or Matteo Ruggeri, either; the young full-backs have struggled to gain Simeone’s trust, and they’ve combined to play only 307 minutes in LaLiga since their summer arrivals from Atalanta and Almería respectively.
Possible 11 Oblak; Llorente, Giménez, Le Normand, Hancko; Koke, Barrios, Giuliano, Nico; Baena, Alvarez.
