Atletico vs Real Sociedad – News and Probable Lineups

Atletico Madrid will look to secure their third consecutive victory in Spain’s top division as they host Real Sociedad this Saturday.

Diego Simeone’s squad currently occupies third place in the La Liga standings, level on points with Villarreal in fourth, while Real Sociedad is positioned eighth, trailing sixth-placed Celta Vigo by five points.

Match overview

Atletico faced a 3-0 defeat against Barcelona in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday night. Nevertheless, they progressed to the final, thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 win in the first leg in Madrid, securing advancement on aggregate.

Simeone’s team is competing on multiple fronts late into the season, with the capital club still participating in the Champions League, where they are set to face struggling Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in their last-16 clash over two legs.

Having secured victories in their last two league outings against Espanyol and Real Oviedo, Atletico sits third in La Liga, tied on points with Villarreal in fourth.

The Red and Whites currently hold an eight-point advantage over Real Betis in fifth, putting them in a strong position to guarantee Champions League participation for next season.

Atletico has demonstrated solid form at home this season, accumulating 34 points from 13 matches, which ranks second in the league, only behind Barcelona.

In contrast, Real Sociedad secured a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday night, advancing to the final with a 2-0 aggregate win.

Consequently, the upcoming Copa del Rey final on April 18 will feature Real Sociedad against Atletico, adding an intriguing backdrop to Saturday’s La Liga fixture.

La Real aspires to attain a top-six finish in La Liga this season and currently sits eighth in the league, five points behind Celta Vigo in sixth place.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team won 1-0 against Mallorca in their last league match on February 28 and now seeks to capture a crucial three points in their away fixture against Atletico.

In their earlier encounter this season, Real Sociedad managed a 1-1 draw with Atletico, but they have not secured a win against the capital club since January 2022.

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

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Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

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Real Sociedad La Liga form:

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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

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Team News

Pablo Barrios has been sidelined for Atletico’s last four La Liga matches due to a muscular issue but could potentially be included in the squad for the weekend.

Head coach Simeone may have a fully fit team to choose from on Saturday, with expectations of changes in the attacking setup. Alexander Sorloth is set to take the place of the veteran Antoine Griezmann.

Alex Baena is eager to secure a spot in the starting XI, although he may again find himself coming off the bench for the Red and Whites this Saturday.

For Real Sociedad, Brais Mendez is back from suspension, while Alvaro Odriozola, Inaki Ruperez, and Takefusa Kubo are unavailable due to injuries.

Alex Remiro is anticipated to return between the posts after missing the Copa del Rey match against Athletic, but otherwise, the team may remain unchanged.

Mikel Oyarzabal is expected to operate centrally for the Basque side, with Alex Barrenetxea and Goncalo Guedes set to play out wide.

Atletico Madrid probable starting XI:

Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Cardoso, Koke, Lookman; Alvarez, Sorloth

Real Sociedad probable starting XI:

Remiro; Aramburu, Martin, Zubeldia, Gomez; Gorrotxategi, Turrientes; Guedes, Soler, Barrenetxea; Oyarzabal

Real Sociedad possesses the capability to make this match quite challenging for Atletico, and a close scoreline is anticipated. However, Simeone’s squad is expected to secure all three points this Saturday.