Atletico Madrid and Real Betis go head-to-head in LaLiga on Sunday at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Diego Simeone’s side sit third with 45 points from 22 games, while Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis are fifth on 35 points after an impressive campaign. It’s a second successive meeting for the teams after a Copa del Rey quarter-final in midweek.
Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 8th February.
- Kick-off: 5:30pm BST.
- Venue: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid.
Atletico Madrid team news
Atletico come into this LaLiga clash on the back of a statement 5-0 win away to Real Betis in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, a tie in which new signing Ademola Lookman scored on his debut and added an assist in a dominant display.
Simeone has been effusive about the Nigerian winger’s impact, telling beIN SPORTS that Lookman “will make us better” after that performance, underlining how his direct running and end product give Atleti “different tools” in the final third.
Johnny Cardoso is unavailable with a muscle problem that is expected to keep him out until late February, while Pablo Barrios has been ruled out for several weeks with a thigh injury suffered in the 5-0 cup win in Seville.
Additionally, Nicolas Gonzalez is listed as a doubt. Alexander Sørloth is a major doubt with a head injury sustained recently and will be assessed before making a final call about his involvement.
Real Betis team news
Betis, meanwhile, are managing several important absences of their own. Playmaker Isco is sidelined with a thigh problem and is not expected back until mid-February, removing one of Pellegrini’s main creative hubs between the lines. Giovani Lo Celso is ruled out by a thigh injury, meaning the Argentine will miss this trip to Madrid.
Sofyan Amrabat is also on the absentee list following ankle surgery in January, with his return date still to be determined, depriving Betis of a powerful defensive midfielder.
In attack, Juan “Cucho” Hernández is recovering from a hamstring issue, making him very unlikely to feature at the Metropolitano, while right-back Héctor Bellerín is a doubt with ongoing physical discomfort
Form
Atletico Madrid
Atletico’s LaLiga form has been strong, with Simeone’s side unbeaten in their last six league matches heading into this weekend.
Their recent league sequence reads a 0-0 draw away at Levante, home wins over Mallorca (3-0) and Alavés (1-0), and earlier a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad.
At home, Atletico have been particularly formidable, winning 10 and drawing one of their 11 league games at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano this season, scoring 26 and conceding just 7, the best home record in LaLiga.
Real Betis
That victory followed a narrow 2-1 defeat away to Deportivo Alavés, a convincing 2-0 home win over Villarreal and a 1-1 draw at Real Oviedo, as well as a heavy 5-1 loss at Real Madrid at the start of January.
Predicted lineups
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Pubill, Hancko, Gimenez, Ruggeri; Koke, Llorente; Simeone, Baena, Lookman; Alvarez
Real Betis: Valles; Ortiz, Bartra, Natan, Rodriguez; Altimira, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ezzalzouli; Avila
How to watch Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis?
In the UK, Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis is being shown live on Premier Sports 1.
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