How Atletico Madrid could line up against Athletic Bilbao

Atletico Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways in La Liga when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday night.

Diego Simeone's side have drawn their last three in Spain's top flight to drop into fifth spot in the table, although they are just three points off first position.

Atletico have won their last two in the Champions League, though, and will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday night.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the capital giants could line up when they take to the field against eighth-placed Bilbao this weekend.

Out: Sime Vrsaljko (knee), Stefan Savic (muscle), Joao Felix (ankle), Jose Gimenez (thigh)

Sime Vrsaljko remains a long-term absentee following knee surgery, while Stefan Savic is expected to be out until the middle of November with a muscular problem.

Simeone has an issue in central defence considering that Jose Gimenez picked up a thigh injury against Leverkusen on Tuesday night, which is expected to see Felipe and Mario Hermoso start at the back this weekend.

Vitolo returned to the squad against Leverkusen, though, suggesting that the Spaniard has overcome a recent hamstring issue to hand his side another option out wide.

Joao Felix will once again be unavailable, however, having picked up an ankle injury during the 1-1 draw with Valencia at the Wanda Metropolitano last weekend.

Simeone is expected to shuffle his pack from the win over Leverkusen on Tuesday night, with Hermoso, Thomas Lemar and Alvaro Morata all in line to return having featured off the bench in the European tie.

Angel Correa and Hector Herrera are expected to be among those to drop out, although the former could yet get the nod over Diego Costa at centre-forward as the Brazilian-born Spain international has only managed two goals in 10 appearances for the Red and Whites this season.