Atletico Madrid vs Espanyol
Whether at home in La Liga or vying for success in cup competitions domestically and abroad, Atletico Madrid are a bit of a puzzle at the moment.
That may cause delight (and surprise) for neutral onlookers because, dare I say it, entertainment has always appeared to be of secondary importance for the club from the Spanish capital while Diego Simeone has been in charge.
However, in the past week, the Argentine, considered by many to be the “master of the dark arts” in the modern game, must have been wondering what the hell he had witnessed.
Talking Points
First, he saw his team beat the Spanish champions so emphatically that they have all but reached the Copa del Rey final, even with the second leg still to play.
Fast forward a few days, and it was back to league action when Simeone decided to rest several key men, making no fewer than nine changes, and saw them go down to a surprise 3-0 defeat at Rayo Vallecano, a team selection which effectively confirmed they do not consider themselves as title challengers.
It was a change of scene again in midweek, as Atletico travelled to Belgium to face Club Brugge in a Champions League play-off. What followed underlined just what attacking talent he has assembled, but also highlighted a worrying development in an area Simeone has prided himself on throughout his managerial career: a watertight defence. Quite where that disappeared to was unclear, without taking away anything from the Belgians.
It had all been going well from an attacking perspective when Julian Alvarez netted from the penalty spot before his corner was flicked on by Antoine Griezmann, and new signing Ademola Lookman tapped home at the back post to give the visitors a two-goal cushion on the stroke of halftime.
Despite losing their two-goal lead, Atleti bounced back to go 3-2 up when Marcos Llorente’s low cross from the right was turned into his own net by a Club Brugge defender.
Yet this was not an advantage they could hold onto either, as Christos Tziolis scored late on to ensure a share of the spoils.
The past seven days beg the question, can the real Los Rojiblancos please stand up?
After thumping Barcelona 4-0, Simeone knows the talent is there. Now to bounce back against Espanyol, who drew 2-2 at home to Celta Vigo last weekend, to stay in sixth place in the table, one place and one point above them as they chase a European berth.
It’s fair to say Espanyol need a change in fortunes after enduring a miserable time since the turn of the year. Manolo Gonzalez’s men are firmly in the European race. But since winning at Athletic Bilbao three days before Christmas, their record reads like relegation form with five defeats and just two draws in seven league outings.
Picking any La Liga 2026 highlights out of that seems impossible. And with Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad, and Athletic Bilbao hot on their heels in the chase for the final guaranteed European place, there is little margin for further error.
They remain without the services of long-term absentee Javi Puado, while Fernando Calero is also a doubt this weekend.
For so long, defence was Atletico’s strong point with the likes of Diego Godin and Miranda, Juanfran, and Filipe Luis. Always solid and reliable, they allowed the team to go forward without fear of being exposed. And while they still have a good rearguard, it is not the impregnable fortress it once was.
On saying that, their new-look team this term remains strong, and I expect changes from the side that started against Club Brugge with Clement Lenglet and Jose Gimenez potentially earning recalls at the back, while Alex Baena is also expected to be introduced into the starting XI.
History
Their very first meeting came in 1926 in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey when Espanyol ran out convincing winners. Historically, Atletico have 93 victories to Espanyol’s 51 with a further 37 draws.
This corresponding fixture last season ended goalless. Since then, they have met twice on Espanyol turf. They drew 1-1 last term when a Puado penalty earned the hosts a point.
Espanyol then defeated Atletico earlier this season on the opening weekend when late goals from Miguel Rubio and Pere Milla overturned an Alvarez free-kick which had opened the scoring.
Betting Tip
Atletico have only lost once at home to Espanyol since Simeone was appointed in December 2011, and the SBOTOP La Liga 2026 betting odds aren’t expecting them to slip up again.
Neither am I, and my tip is Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 2.19.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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