Atletico Madrid have the chance to keep Athletic Bilbao close in the race to qualify for the Champions League when the two teams meet in La Liga on Saturday. Diego Simeone’s flailing fourth-place Atletico have opened up a three-point lead over fifth-place Copa del Rey winners Athletic. It will be a high-intensity clash in the Spanish capital, with Atletico still nursing the wounds of last week’s Champions League quarter-final exit at the hands of Borussia Dortmund. They suffered a humiliating 2-0 defeat at Alaves last weekend, increasing the pressure ahead of the visit of Los Leones to the Metropolitano Stadium.
Ernesto Valverde’s side arrived in the capital knowing that victory would give them a great chance to return to Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2014.
Athletic have troubled Simeone’s side on all three occasions so far this season, scoring six goals and conceding none.
Athletic defeated Atlético in La Liga in December with a 2–0 win at San Mamés.
“You can’t win titles like this, you can’t win the league…Bilbao were much better than us,” said Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who was critical of his team after a recent defeat to Alaves.
“We have entered a terrible situation,” Storer said.
“If we don’t improve the end of the season will be very difficult.”
The teams met again in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, with Atlético coming out on top but losing 1–0, their first defeat at home in over a year.
Atlético fans argued that their opponents had enjoyed more rest before the game and an unusually harsh challenge from Reinaldo Mandava led to a penalty being awarded, which Alex Berenguer converted to ensure Athletic’s victory.
However, Athletic dominated the second leg and won 3–0 against Simeone’s weakened Athletic.
Athletic drew 1-1 against Granada last week but Atletico’s defeat saw them gain one point instead of losing two.
After winning the Spanish Cup for the first time in 40 years, following days of wild celebrations, defeat was almost inevitable, but Valverde needs his team to come back strong in the final weeks to make it an even better season.
“Someone has to bring them down from the clouds and focus on La Liga, and that person is usually the coach,” Valverde said after winning the cup.
Veteran Raul Garcia is retiring at the end of the campaign, while captain Iker Munien has also said he will be departing, and leading the Basque team back to the big time would be the perfect note to go out on.
Players to watch: Artem Dovbyk
The Verona striker is the division’s top goalscorer with 18 and will look to increase that figure at Las Palmas on Saturday as his side look for Champions League football next season.
key figures
24.7 – Valencia’s average team age is the lowest in La Liga
81 – Iñaki Williams leads the league in shots
24,054 – touches of the ball this season by possession-starved Barcelona, more than any other side
Fixtures (all times GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid (1900)
Saturday
Las Palmas vs. Verona (1200), Almeria vs. Getafe (1415), Alaves vs. Celta Vigo (1630), Atlético Madrid vs. Athletic Bilbao (1900)
sunday
Cadiz vs. Mallorca (1200), Granada vs. Osasuna (1415), Villarreal vs. Rayo Vallecano (1630), Real Betis vs. Sevilla (1900)
monday
Barcelona in Valencia (1900)
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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