Atletico Madrid will look to ensure they finish 3rd on the table with a win when they face Girona, who can certainly climb a few places if they manage to script an upset against the Madrid-based outfit.
The home team secured a top-four finish last season but they haven’t been able to replicate that this season having lost quite a few of their key players last summer. They are 15th on the table with 41 points in their 37 outings.
Girona have only won 11 games all season and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad. They will certainly have put up a much-improved performance to stand a chance against Atletico.
The visitors were in the title race at one point in time but they have had a drastic fall in the final phase of the season. They have only managed 73 points in their 37 outings and are 12 points behind champions Barcelona.
Simeone will be eager to finish the season in the best possible way with another three points. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a 4-1 win over Real Betis and will certainly be confident of getting the job done against Girona. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home team could be without the services of Miguel Gutierrez, Gabriel Misehouy and Donny van de Beek as all three will undergo a late fitness test to determine their availability for this fixture.
Meanwhile, Ricard Artero and Bryan Gil will certainly be unavailable.
Michel is unlikely to make too many changes to the XI that started in their last outing but he could certainly introduce Portu in the final third.
The home team will stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Vladyslav Krapyvtsov will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Arnau Martenez, Alejandro Frances, Ladislav Krejcí and Daley Blind.
In the centre of the park, Yangel Herrera will form the double pivot along with Jhon Solís. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure they do not allow Atletico to dominate the proceedings.
Viktor Tsygankov and Yáser Asprilla will feature on the flanks providing much-needed width to their attacks. Iván Martín will be the attacking midfielder, while Portu will lead the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Krapyvtsov; A Martinez, Frances, Krejci, Blind; Herrera, Solis; Tsygankov, Martin, Asprilla; Portu
The visitors don’t really have any fresh injury concerns. Pablo Barrios is the only one who is a doubt for this fixture. Apart from him, everyone else is expected to be available.
Diego Simeone will stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and Javi Galan will be the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand and Clement Lenglet will feature in the heart of the defence.
Giuliano Simeone and Conor Gallagher will feature in the wide areas, while Rodrigo De Paul should partner Koke in a more central role. They will look to control the tempo and ensure they have the majority of the ball.
In the final third, Julian Alvarez could start alongside Alexander Sorloth with Antoine Griezmann making an appearance off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Koke, Gallagher; Alvarez, Sorloth
Sorloth might not have had a starting role under Simeone in his debut campaign but he has certainly made the most out of the limited opportunities he has had. The former Villarreal star is expected to start in this fixture and he will certainly be eager to make his mark.
In his 49 appearances across competitions, he has 21 goals and two assists. Having racked up just over 2,100 minutes all season, the 29-year-old averages a goal every 101 minutes. As far as La Liga is concerned, he has a goal every 90 minutes and he can certainly have a big ay on the result on this fixture.
Atletico Madrid will certainly be confident about their chances after securing a dominant win over Real Betis in their last outing and they will be eager to finish the season in the best possible way with another three points to their name. Simeone’s men certainly have enough firepower to get the desired result in this away fixture.
Girona, who had an exceptional campaign last time out, have struggled to find their footing this season. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a disappointing defeat to Real Sociedad and things certainly won’t be easy for them against Atletico Madrid. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the away team.
