Atletico are now in the midst of their fourth three-game winless run across all competitions of 2021/22, but have notably bounced back with booming wins on the three previous occasions, and have also won their last three La Liga home games.
Atletico Madrid
After a heartbreaking exit from this season’s UEFA Champions League, Atletico Madrid are now facing an increasingly desperate battle to qualify for next year’s edition after a 1-0 loss at Mallorca last La Liga round left in-form clubs Sociedad and Betis snapping at their heels. The Spanish giants are now in the midst of their fourth three-game winless run across all competitions of 2021/22, but have notably bounced back with booming wins on the three previous occasions, and have also won their last three La Liga home games. After their frustrations culminated in on-field brawls and a booking to manager Diego Simeone late in their midweek UEFA Champions League tie against Manchester City, Atletico’s season appears to be at a crossroads.
Simeone will be quick to remind his squad that mid-table visitors Espanyol cannot be taken for granted, particularly as Atlético have lost to relegation contenders Mallorca and Levante either side of six consecutive league wins.
Espanyol
Espanyol manager Vicente Moreno would have studied the tapes of Mallorca’s win over Atlético with great interest, having lost each of his three meetings with Atlético including two in charge of Mallorca. He expressed great delight at the “peace of mind” that a 1-0 home victory over Celta Vigo last weekend gave him, ensuring Espanyol start this round with an 11-point bridge from the relegation zone. Whilst it has largely been a successful campaign for the newly promoted club, a poor away record continues to hold them back from greater achievement. They have one of La Liga’s worst success rates as a travelling underdog, whilst their meagre average of 0.87 goals scored across all 2021/22 La Liga away trips means they may find it hard to test Atlético’s defence here.
Atletico’s Thomas Lemar has scored four goals in four La Liga victories this season, including in the previous H2H. Meanwhile, Manuel Morlanes was Espanyol’s first goalscorer in two of their last four unbeaten away La Liga games. Atletico have scored 2 first-half goals in just one of their last 23 La Liga matches.