Atlético de Madrid faces Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium with the intention of maintaining its streak of five consecutive victories, all of them in the League. Argentine coach Diego Simeone is considering changes to the eleven to ease the burden of a very busy schedule, which includes a match in Stuttgart next Tuesday. The Colchonero team arrives without Koke, who suffers a muscle injury, and without Cardoso, who stayed in Madrid due to an illness, but the rest of the squad is available and can be called up according to the needs of the moment.
Espanyol, for its part, needs to react after a bad streak that has put the figure of its coach, Manolo González, in doubt. The coach has had the full support of the dressing room, but the last nine games have added only one point. The home team will be without midfielder Jofre Carreras and striker Kike García, both injured, which reduces the depth of the squad. Despite this, the blue and white team has the presence of Roberto Fernández, who has already been international with Spain and represents the biggest threat for Atlético.
Simeone has recently incorporated several signings that have brought speed and strength to the team, and the response from the players who arrived last year has been positive. The coach has pointed out that the team has reached a cruising speed that he does not want to abandon, especially in a stadium where Atlético does not usually perform so well. With 15 or 16 players available, the coach plans to rotate the eleven to keep the players fresh and maximize performance in all competitions.
Among the players who could receive more minutes are Pubill, Lookman, Hjulmand and Jonathan David, who are on the substitute list against Manchester United. The objective is to evaluate Julián Álvarez's recovery and confirm his form on the pitch, since the forward has not scored since April for the club. Atlético are looking to be decisive rather than simply trying hard and committing, something that has become essential in recent games.
For Espanyol, the match will be crucial for Manolo González's credit. The coach has insisted that the locker room fully supports him, and the players are willing to refine their performance to prevent the negative streak from continuing. With the absence of two key players, the team will have to rely on the versatility of its remaining forwards and midfielders to try to reverse the negative trend.
In summary, Atlético de Madrid seeks to consolidate its dominance in the League while managing a demanding schedule, while Espanyol attempts to reverse a streak of poor results and demonstrate the solidity of its coach. The result of the match will have direct implications on the position of both teams in the table and on the confidence of their squads for the upcoming matches.