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

Diego Simeone's side will enter the contest off the back of a thumping 6-1 win over Sevilla last weekend, while Girona were on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller with Getafe in Madrid.

Match preview

Girona were promoted to La Liga via last season's Segunda Division playoffs, with the Catalan outfit back at this level after three campaigns in the second tier, so any position higher than 18th would be seen as a hugely successful season.

Michel's side have won eight, drawn six and lost 10 of their 24 league games this season to collect 30 points, which has left them in 11th position in the table.

Girona are only seven points off the top six and five clear of the relegation zone, so it has been a strong campaign thus far, but a lot could change with a couple of poor results in quick succession.

The Catalan outfit have won two of their last three in the league, overcoming Almeria and Athletic Bilbao in back-to-back matches, before suffering a 3-2 defeat to Getafe last weekend.

Girona were 3-0 down inside the opening 43 minutes before fighting back to 3-2, but they were unable to find a late leveller at Coliseum Alfonso Perez, as they suffered their 10th league loss of the campaign.

Atletico, meanwhile, recorded a 6-1 victory over Sevilla last weekend, with Memphis Depay and Alvaro Morata both scoring braces in what was a hugely impressive performance at Wanda Metropolitano.

Simeone's side have now won three of their last four in the league and are unbeaten in Spain's top flight since the start of January, with the strong form seeing them move into third position in the table.

Atletico are not in a title race this season, sitting some 17 points behind leaders Barcelona, but they are now four points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis in the battle to secure a top-four finish.

The capital outfit's failure to qualify for either the knockout round of the Champions League or Europa League could actually help them enjoy a strong end to the La Liga campaign, but there remains huge uncertainty surrounding the future of Simeone.

Atletico have the fourth-best away record in La Liga this season, picking up 24 points from 12 matches, but Girona have been strong at home, claiming 21 points in front of their own fans.

The Red and Whites have won their last two league fixtures against Girona, meanwhile, including a 2-1 success at Wanda Metropolitano earlier this season.

Girona La Liga form:

L

W

L

W

W

L

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

W

D

W

W

D

W

Team News

Girona remain without the services of four first-team players through injury, with Alexander Callens, Yangel Herrera, Yan Couto and Ibrahima Kebe still on the sidelines.

Head coach Michel has decisions to make following the 3-2 loss at Girona, as he introduced three players at half time of the five-goal thriller last time out.

The players who started the contest could be given the chance to redeem themselves, though, meaning that the likes of Arnau Martinez and Aleix Garcia should keep hold of their starting roles.

As for Atletico, both Angel Correa and Nahuel Molina will return to the squad after serving suspensions, but Reinildo, Rodrigo De Paul and Sergio Reguilon remain on the sidelines through injury.

Morata came off the bench to score twice against Sevilla, and he could now come into a front two with Memphis, which would see Antoine Griezmann drop into a deeper area.

Simeone will find it hard to make many changes from the side that started last time out, though, so Yannick Carrasco and Axel Witsel should both keep their starting roles.

Girona possible starting lineup:

Gazzaniga; Martinez, Bueno, Juanpe, Hernandez; Romeu, A Garcia, B Garcia; Tsygankov, Castellanos, Riquelme

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Llorente, Savic, Gimenez, Hermoso, Carrasco; Koke, Witsel, Griezmann; Memphis, Morata

We say: Girona 1-2 Atletico Madrid

This has the potential to be a very tricky match for Atletico due to Girona's home record this season, but the Red and Whites are in impressive form at the moment and will fancy their chances of claiming another three points on Monday night.

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