Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla

Estadio Metropolitano sets the stage for a high-profile La Liga clash between old foes Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. 

Fresh off hitting a 700-game barrier in charge of Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone seeks a fourth consecutive win against former club Sevilla after his side overturned a narrow halftime deficit in a 3-1 victory at fourth-tier Cacereno in midweek Copa del Rey action. That was the latest example of Atletico Madrid’s fantastic form resurgence, stretching their winning streak in all competitions to eight matches. ‘Los Colchoneros’ humbled Valladolid 5-0 last weekend in their most convincing league win this season to bridge the gap on table-topping Barcelona to five points and make it four La Liga wins in a row. Too hot to handle at the Metropolitano Stadium, Simeone’s men have avoided defeat in all seven home league games (W5, D2), returning a formidable +11 goal difference from those fixtures (GF:14, GA:3).

In the meantime, Sevilla bolstered their spirits with a 3-1 Copa del Rey win against lower-league Olot in midweek, extending their unbeaten run to three games (W2, D1), all competitions included. However, Garcia Pimienta’s men have stuttered in La Liga, winning just one of their last four outings (D1, L2), contributing to a disappointing mid-table standing. Any hope of improving their position in the table hinges on finding form on the road, where they’ve only claimed one win in seven league matches this season (D3, L3). Entertainment has been a rare commodity in Sevilla’s recent league fixtures, as their last five have featured under 2.5 goals, including a 1-1 home draw against Osasuna a week ago.