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Atletico Madrid might not have had the best of seasons in La Liga, but there is still a lot to play for them as they prepare to host third-placed Girona, who have fallen off after a dream run where they were in contention for the league title.
Both clubs want to finish the season on a high and ensure they have UEFA Champions League football for next season. Girona do have a cushion of a few points. But Diego Simeone’s men cannot afford a slip-up.
Atletico Madrid are fourth on the points table with 58 points in their 30 matches. They only have a two-point advantage over fifth-place Athletic Club and dropping points could prove very costly for them at this stage.
After back-to-back defeats in the league, they did bounce back in their last outing against Villarreal. And, they are heading into this one on the back of a win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. They will be confident about their chances here.
Meanwhile, Girona are third with 65 points from their 30 outings. They have surpassed expectations in some fashion and were in contention for the league title for a long while. But, the White and Reds suffered a lot in the recent past and are now ten points behind league leaders Real Madrid.
Girona will look to ensure they can return to their best and finish the season on a high. After suffering a disappointing defeat at the hands of Getafe, they managed to bounce back against Real Betis and should be confident about their chances here. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid will be without the services of Memphis Depay, Mario Hermoso, and Thomas Lemar. Meanwhile, Pablo Barrios is suspended from this fixture. The hosts did not pick up any fresh injuries in their last outing.
As a result, Diego Simeone should have the rest of the squad to choose from. He will look to make a few changes to the starting eleven to ensure he keeps everyone fit for the return leg of the UCL quarter-finals in Germany.
Girona
The visitors are without the services of Joel Roca and Toni Villa for this fixture. Meanwhile, the availability of Ricard Artero will depend on a late fitness test. Ivan Martin is suspended from this fixture, while Savio is back from suspension.
Girona will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will be in goal. Eric Garcia, David Lopez, and Daley Blind will be the three central defenders for the visitors. Yan Couto and Miguel Gutierrez, who will feature as the wing-backs, will look to help out the central defenders as they eye a clean sheet against Atletico Madrid.
In the centre of the park, Aleix Garcia will pair up with Yangel Herrera. The duo will look to ensure that the away side’s midfielders do not end up dictating the pace of the game. Viktor Tsyhankov and Savio will feature on the flanks for Girona, while Artem Dovbyk will lead the line.
