Atletico Madrid aims to end a three-match winless streak as they face Leganes in La Liga this Sunday. While Diego Simeone’s side has secured only one victory in their last four outings, they still sit in third place in the league standings. Leganes, on the other hand, is struggling in 17th, with just eight points from their nine matches this season.
Despite being unbeaten in La Liga, Atletico suffered a significant 4-0 defeat to Benfica in the Champions League earlier this month, adding pressure as they prepare for a busy schedule that includes a match against Lille next week. Although Atletico has found the net only 13 times this season, they boast the league’s best defensive record, having conceded just five goals.
Leganes arrives in the Spanish capital with a record of one win, five draws, and three losses this season, sharing the league’s joint-worst scoring record with only five goals to their name. However, they have shown some resilience by going unbeaten in their last three matches, drawing against Getafe, Rayo Vallecano, and Valencia.
When the two sides last met in January 2020, they played to a goalless draw, and previous encounters have often been tight, with Atletico winning their last two meetings by just a single goal.
In terms of team news, Atletico will miss Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, and Cesar Azpilicueta due to injuries. There may be changes to the lineup, with Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino expected to feature prominently. Alexander Sorloth has struggled to make an impact, so Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez are likely to lead the attack.
Leganes could see the return of Renato Tapia and Matija Nastasic after injury issues, while Naim Garcia remains doubtful due to a muscle complaint. Coach Borja Jimenez might stick with the team that faced Valencia, although a change in attack could see Miguel de la Fuente replace Sebastien Haller.
Overall, a low-scoring match seems probable, but Atletico is expected to secure the win, potentially breaking the deadlock in the second half at Wanda Metropolitano.
