This Saturday afternoon features a clash between third-placed Girona and fourth-placed Atlético Madrid in La Liga, as both teams strive to fulfill their Champions League aspirations.
Girona currently holds the third position, trailing Barcelona by two points and maintaining a seven-point lead over Atlético Madrid.
With only eight matches remaining, both teams are eager to secure their spots in the top four.
Match Preview
Atlético Madrid enters this encounter fresh off a 2-1 victory against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
This win marks their fourth triumph in the last six matches across all competitions, all secured with a 2-1 scoreline.
However, in La Liga, Diego Simeone’s squad has faced inconsistency, with three wins, two draws, and three losses in their last eight matches.
Despite this, Atlético boasts an impressive home record, winning 13 of their 15 league games at home this season, with only one defeat.
On the other hand, Girona’s pursuit of a Champions League spot has surprised many, considering they lost just one of their first 23 La Liga matches.
Although they have stumbled recently, losing four of their last seven league games, they remain contenders for a Champions League berth.
However, Girona has encountered difficulties away from home, losing their last four away matches, conceding nine goals and failing to score in three of those games.
Head-to-Head:
The reverse fixture in January saw a total of seven goals, with Girona emerging victorious with a 4-3 scoreline.
Despite this, Girona has only won one of their last seven La Liga meetings with Atlético Madrid, while Simeone’s team has won three of the previous four.
Team News & Updates:
Atlético Madrid’s injury list includes Memphis Depay (muscle), Thomas Lemar (Achilles), Mario Hermoso (muscle), and Vitolo (knee).
Similarly, Girona has several injury concerns, with Ricard Artero (ankle), Joel Roca (knee), and Toni Villa (knee) sidelined.
With both teams vying for a top-four finish, Saturday’s match is expected to be closely contested, with both teams likely to score more than 1.5 goals.
We predict that Atlético Madrid and Girona will share the points in the capital, with both teams finding the net multiple times.
Prediction & Analysis
With both teams vying for a top-four finish, expect a closely contested match with goals on both ends. Despite Atletico’s home advantage, Girona’s determination could see them secure a valuable point in the capital.
- Atletico Madrid 2-2 Girona
