Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal
Villarreal will aim to secure their third win of the 2020/21 La Liga season as they visit Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
The Yellow Submarine are currently in a four-way tie alongside Getafe, Valencia, and Real Madrid on top of the table, so a win here should definitely give them a huge confidence boost.
But Atletico Madrid are out to make a statement this weekend as they are keen to maintain their unbeaten run.
Diego Simeone’s men started their campaign with a bang against Granada and they have been slowly rounding into their championship-contending form.
Without further ado, here is today’s match preview brought to you by SBOTOP.
Talking Points
Atletico Madrid are back to square one
The new-look Atletico Madrid recognise that they have their work cut out for them if they want to contend for the La Liga title.
After pulling the rug under Granada in a 6-1 blowout in their first match of the season, Diego Simeone’s men were sent back to earth when they were held to a goalless draw by the newly-promoted Huesca.
Luis Suarez failed to make an impact despite starting for Los Rojiblancos as Huesca’s defence was formidable enough to prevent any attacking chances.
He previously scored two goals against Granada along with some La Liga 2020 highlights, but he will have to wait a little bit more to notch his third goal for his new club.
Atleti tried to put pressure at the back against Huesca, but the latter showed poise against the 2014 La Liga titlists.
This is an indication that Diego Simeone would need more time to galvanise his new attacking duo in Diego Costa and Luis Suarez.
“Of course they can play together. The important thing is that they play to the best of their abilities, Diego with his character, Suarez with his leadership,” said Simeone.
“They are different players. Diego likes to play down the wings and run into space, while Suarez is better at short sprints, making diagonal runs into the area, playing with his back to goal and being a dangerous presence in the area,” he added.
While the veteran manager admitted that Costa and Suarez play in different styles, he expects them to hit their stride sooner or later.
Villarreal face acid test
First impressions do matter for Unai Emery. But even he will admit to himself that his team needs to improve if they want to punch above their weight.
After defeating Eibar in the opener, the Yellow Submarine were sunk by Barcelona in a masterful display by Ansu Fati and Lionel Messi.
They did, however, make amends by beating Deportivo Alaves and that should give them some momentum ahead of this fixture.
To further strengthen their lineup, Emery has been busy on the phone trying to add new pieces.
Villarreal are linked to possible loan deals for Juan Foyth and Haissem Hassan to add more depth at the back and at the attack.
These two wouldn’t move the needle as far as Villarreal’s fortunes are concerned, but they should provide enough relief for their key players such as Gerard Moreno and Vincente Iborra.
Moreover, Moreno, Iborra, Alcacer, and Parejo would need to bring their A-game in order to draw out a positive result versus Atleti.
History
The overall head-to-head matchup between Los Rojiblancos and the Yellow Submarine are as close as it gets.
In their 36 matches together, Atletico Madrid won 14 times while Villarreal won in 13 along with nine draws.
During their last meeting, Diego Simeone’s men found the back of the net three times through Angel Correa, Koke, and Joao Felix, and they are expected to be featured once more this weekend.
Los Rojiblancos have been the better team in the past four occasions as they have yet to be defeated by the Yellow Submarine since 2018.
Betting Tip
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Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal | Atletico Madrid Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.16 |
| October 03, 22:00 (GMT+8) |
Our latest La Liga 2020 odds point to Atletico Madrid as the hot favourites to win.
They are priced at 1.61, while Villarreal are pegged at 5.60 and chances for a draw are low at 3.70 in the 1×2 market readings.
These are two sides who are very much capable of plundering goals, so it’s safe to bet for Over 2.50 @ 1.97 or Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.23 as well.
Atletico Madrid have one of the best-attacking lineups on paper and while Villarreal can hold down their own, they can’t afford to be engaged in a shootout against them.
These are two sides who have made alterations to their roster and they will lock horns for the first time this season, so this one is expected to be a cracker for football fans everywhere.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
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| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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