Preview: Celta Vigo vs. Atletico Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Diego Simeone's side are currently fourth in the La Liga table, five points behind the leaders Real Madrid with a game in hand, while Celta sit 18th, having picked up just six points from their first nine games.

Match preview

Celta claimed a point in a 2-2 draw with Getafe before the international break, but the match extended the team's winless run in La Liga to five matches, which has included three defeats.

The Sky Blues have only managed to win one of their opening nine league games of the season, with a total of six points leaving them in 18th position in the table, level on points with 19th-placed Granada.

Rafael Benitez's side are only three points behind 13th-placed Cadiz, so their position would look a lot healthier if they were able to triumph this weekend, but they are entering a tough run of fixtures, facing Girona, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao in their three league games after this one.

Celta finished 13th in Spain's top flight last season, while they have been present in La Liga since earning promotion in 2011-12, so it would be a surprise to see them drop out of the league this term.

The Vigo outfit have lost each of their last four league games with Atletico, while they have not overcome the Red and Whites in the top flight since September 2018.

Atletico edged a close game against Real Sociedad before the international break, with Antoine Griezmann's 89th-minute penalty securing a 2-1 victory at Wanda Metropolitano.

Simeone's side have won their last four in the league, including the Madrid derby against Real Madrid, while they have picked up four points from their opening two games in the group stage of the Champions League, so it has been a successful start to the campaign.

Atletico sit fourth in Spain's top flight on 19 points, five behind the leaders Real Madrid with a game in hand, as their fixture with Sevilla, scheduled for the start of September, was postponed due to bad weather.

The Red and Whites have a huge European fixture away to Celtic next week, while they are entering a kind run of fixtures in La Liga, so it would not be a surprise if the team continued to put wins on the board.

Atletico finished third in Spain's top flight last season, only one point behind second-placed Real Madrid, and there have been plenty of encouraging signs in the opening couple of months, with the team looking to have the tools to challenge for silverware in 2023-24.

Celta Vigo La Liga form:

W

L

L

D

L

D

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

W

L

W

W

W

W

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

W

Advert - content below:

Team News

Celta will be missing Mihailo Ristic on Saturday due to the muscular problem that he picked up against Getafe before the international break, which is likely to open the door for Manu Sanchez to come into the XI.

Franco Cervi is also still missing due to injury, but the Sky Blues are otherwise in good shape, and Benitez would have been pleased with his side's attacking work against Getafe.

Iago Aspas missed a penalty in the team's last match, and he is still waiting for his first goal of the campaign, but the experienced forward should keep his spot in the final third of the field alongside Jorgen Strand Larsen.

Atletico, meanwhile, will be without the services of Vitolo, Jose Gimenez, Memphis Depay, Thomas Lemar and Reinildo for this weekend's contest.

Angel Correa, Caglar Soyuncu and Pablo Barrios are also major doubts, with the capital side having a number of injury problems in the early stages of the 2023-24 campaign.

Stefan Savic could return to the back three for this weekend's contest, but it might otherwise be the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Real Sociedad last time out.

Alvaro Morata has scored five La Liga goals during a strong start to the campaign, and the 30-year-old is set to continue in the final third of the field alongside Griezmann.

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Villar; Mingueza, Starfelt, Nunez, M Sanchez; Perez, Beltran, De la Torre, Bamba; Aspas, Larsen

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Azpilicueta, Savic, Hermoso; Molina, Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Lino; Morata, Griezmann

We say: Celta Vigo 0-1 Atletico Madrid

Atletico are flying at the moment, and we are backing them to post a fifth straight league win over Celta this weekend. Simeone's side recorded a 1-0 victory in the corresponding match last season, and we can see the same scoreline occurring on Saturday, which would make it six wins in a row for Atletico in all competitions.

Previews by email