Atletico Madrid VS Eibar, a relatively routine home success

Match Time：4/18/2021 22:15 Sunday  (GMT+8)

Spanish La Liga --  Atletico Madrid   VS   Eibar

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Top will take on bottom in La Liga this weekend as Atletico Madrid welcome Eibar to Wanda Metropolitano, with both teams desperate to secure all three points but for very different reasons.

 

Atletico are currently top of the table, one point clear of second-placed Real Madrid, while Eibar occupy 20th position, four points from the safety of 17th spot with eight games left.

 

Match preview

There is no question that Atletico will be feeling the heat at the top of the table, and it does appear that the capital giants are stumbling at the worst possible stage of the campaign.

 

Diego Simeone's side have been the standout side in La Liga for long spells of the season, but they have only won one of their last four domestic fixtures, a run which included a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on April 4.

 

Atletico, who shared the points with Real Betis last time out, are still in charge of their own destiny, sitting one point clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the summit.

 

Barcelona in third are just two points off the top, though, and fourth-placed Sevilla would move to within three points of first place if they manage to overcome Real Sociedad earlier in the afternoon.

 

The capital giants have the best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 36 points from their 15 matches, while they ran out 2-1 winners when they travelled to Eibar for the reverse fixture in January.

 

Eibar have been present in Spain's top flight since earning promotion at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, but there is no question that they are facing a serious battle to retain their status at this level.

 

Jose Luis Mendilibar's side are currently propping up the division, having picked up just 23 points from their 30 matches, while they will enter Sunday's contest in disappointing form.

 

Eibar are without a victory in La Liga since the start of January and have lost four of their last five, including back-to-back defeats to Real Madrid and Levante in their last two fixtures.

 

Los Armeros are only four points from the safety of 17th position, though, and there is still more than enough time to move out of the bottom three before the end of the campaign.

 

Mendilibar's team have actually performed better on their travels this season, with 14 of their 23 points coming on the road, which should hand them confidence ahead of this match.

 

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:DWDWLD

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):WDLWLD

Eibar La Liga form:DLLDLL

 

Team News

Atletico will again be without the services of Luis Suarez this weekend due to a calf problem, while Joao Felix is unlikely to be available, with the attacker picking up an ankle issue.

 

Simeone's side are hopeful that Kieran Trippier will overcome a back injury to start, while Mario Hermoso is expected to feature at the back despite picking up a knock in training.

 

Marcos Llorente was suspended for the draw with Betis but should return to the side, while a lack of options in the final third could see Thomas Lemar feature further forward.

 

As for Eibar, Pape Diop is unavailable as he serves a one-game suspension, while a long injury list includes Yoshinori Muto, Pedro Bigas, Rober Correa, Edu Exposito and Recio.

 

On-loan Sevilla attacker Bryan Gil is available after serving a suspension against Levante, but the Spain international has a thigh problem and could therefore start on the bench.

 

Sergi Enrich and Kike should again feature in attacking positions for the strugglers, while there might be a start in a wide area for Kevin Rodrigues.

 

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Savic, Gimenez, Hermoso; Trippier, Koke, Saul, Carrasco; Lemar, Correa, Llorente

 

Eibar possible starting lineup:

Yoel; Pozo, Oliveira, Arbilla, Cote; Inui, Garcia, Alvarez, Rodrigues; Kike, Enrich

 

Atletico Madrid 2-0 Eibar