Ahead of Atletico Madrid’s trip to Manchester City for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, they will host Alaves in La Liga play.
Los Rojiblancos are fourth in the La Liga table and locked on 54 points with third-place Barcelona. Diego Simeone’s team is on a five-match winning streak and just three points off of second-place Sevilla.
⏳ Two days for Atleti-Alavés! pic.twitter.com/EDkEEK3TW4— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 31, 2022
⏳ Two days for Atleti-Alavés! pic.twitter.com/EDkEEK3TW4
After a poor start to the campaign, the reigning La Liga champions are in form and dangerous.
Alaves are simply in danger heading into the trip to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. Alaves are 19th in the La Liga standings with just 22 points from 29 games.
Deportivo lost their last two La Liga matches ahead of this weekend’s trip to the capital. Five points currently separate Alaves from safety.
Alaves shocked Atletico Madrid in the reverse fixture 1-0. Deportivo claimed the home win courtesy of a fourth minute goal from Victor Laguardia. The win ended a 12-game winless streak versus Atletico Madrid in all competitions.
Atletico Madrid took 15 points from the last 18 points available in the league. They outscored their last six opponents in La Liga 11-3.
Alaves picked up five points from the last 18 points on offer in La Liga. Their last five games in the division finished without wins. Alaves were outscored 10-6 across the last six matches.
Simeone is without the duo of Angel Correa and Koke. Both players are suspended for the fixture. Alaves will be without defender Javi Lopez. Lopez has a hamstring injury.
Alaves’s biggest issue this season has been a lack of goals. They have scored the league’s fewest goals with a mere 23. Meanwhile, the Alaves defence has conceded 48 times to opponents.
Atletico Madrid’s defence hasn’t been the typical Simeone rearguard. Los Rojiblancos have conceded 36 times, the joint 10th-most goals in La Liga. Atletico Madrid have tallied 53 goals, the third-most in the division.
Prior to Alaves’s win earlier this season versus Atletico Madrid, the capital club had won three straight games versus Deportivo. Alaves’s win was an exception to the rule of Atletico Madrid typically winning games when these teams meet.
Alaves’s last six games away from home ended without wins. Only six points have been obtained from 14 road games in 2021-22.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid won their last two games at home. Atletico Madrid should win to nil and avenge their loss from earlier this term.