Atletico Madrid will aim to rebound from a surprising home defeat in the Champions League as they resume their La Liga campaign against Real Betis on Sunday night.
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Diego Simeone’s side currently sits third in the La Liga table, trailing leaders Barcelona by seven points, while Real Betis occupies seventh place, having garnered 15 points from their first ten matches of the 2024-25 season.
Recent Form
Real Betis enters this match following a European outing, where they drew 1-1 with Copenhagen in the Conference League on Thursday night. This result leaves them in 27th position in the league phase.
However, they recently secured a La Liga victory, defeating Osasuna 2-1, which allowed them to accumulate 15 points. Their record this season stands at four wins, three draws, and three losses, positioning them only three points shy of the top four.
Despite a strong defensive showing this season, conceding just nine goals in ten matches, Betis faces a formidable challenge against Atletico, who boasts the best defensive record in La Liga, allowing only six goals this season.
The Green and Whites have performed well at home, winning three of their five matches and only losing once. They will look to capitalize on this home advantage ahead of their Copa del Rey opener against Gevora.
Historically, Real Betis has struggled against Atletico, not securing a league win since February 2019. Their last encounter in the 2023-24 season ended in a goalless draw.
Atletico Madrid’s Recent Challenges
Atletico Madrid suffered a shock defeat in the Champions League on Wednesday, falling 3-1 to Lille at the Wanda Metropolitano. The French side scored three goals in the second half after Julian Alvarez initially gave Atletico the lead.
This defeat follows another poor showing, losing 4-0 to Benfica earlier this month. Currently, Atletico finds themselves in 27th position in the Champions League, having only collected three points from their first three matches.
Despite these challenges in Europe, Atletico remains unbeaten in La Liga this season, with five wins and five draws from ten matches, earning them 20 points.
They achieved a 3-1 victory over Leganes last weekend but have dropped points in three of their five away league games, struggling against Villarreal, Rayo Vallecano, and Real Sociedad.
Simeone will demand a strong response from his players on Sunday, especially considering Atletico’s recent success against Real Betis, having won five of their last six La Liga encounters.
Team News
Real Betis will be missing four key players due to injuries: Giovani Lo Celso, Marc Roca, William Carvalho, and Isco. Additionally, central defender Natan is suspended after receiving a red card in the match against Osasuna.
Lo Celso’s absence is particularly significant, as he has contributed five of Betis’s ten league goals this season. Head coach Manuel Pellegrini is expected to field a front two, likely featuring Vitor Roque alongside Cedric Bakambu.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, will be without Clement Lenglet, Pablo Barrios, Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, and Cesar Azpilicueta due to injury.
Simeone is likely to maintain his lineup after the Lille defeat, though Samuel Lino could be reinstated at left-back. Key players Antoine Griezmann, Alvarez, and Alexander Sorloth will be pivotal in the attacking third as they seek to find their rhythm.
Possible Starting Lineups
Real Betis possible starting lineup: Silva; Bellerin, Bartra, Llorente, Perraud; Ezzalzouli, Cardoso, Altimira, Fornals; Roque, Bakambu
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup: Oblak; Molina, Witsel, Gimenez, Lino; Koke, De Paul, Gallagher; Griezmann; Alvarez, Sorloth
Having had an extra day of recovery before this match could give Atletico an advantage, particularly in the second half. While a draw seems plausible, the feeling is that Atletico Madrid will navigate their way to an important three points on Sunday night.
