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

Third will take on fourth in La Liga on Sunday evening, as Atletico Madrid welcome Sevilla to Wanda Metropolitano, with the visitors not yet certain of a spot in the top four.

Atletico are guaranteed a spot in the Champions League positions ahead of their final two matches, but Sevilla have work to do if they are to be present in next season's European Cup.

Match preview

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Atletico's position in next season's Champions League was confirmed on Wednesday evening when they recorded a 2-0 victory over Elche, with Matheus Cunha and Rodrigo De Paul on the scoresheet at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.

Diego Simeone's side are currently third in the table, one point clear of fourth-placed Sevilla and six ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis with a superior head-to-head record over the Green and Whites, so the 2020-21 La Liga champions are guaranteed to finish in the Champions League positions.

Atletico suffered a 2-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao at the end of April but bounced back by beating Real Madrid on May 8 and will head into their final two league games of the season knowing that they cannot fall out of the top four, but the capital giants can still drop from third to fourth.

Simeone's team have impressed at Wanda Metropolitano this season, picking up 40 points from their 18 matches, but they will be welcoming a Sevilla side that have lost just three times on their travels in the league this term, and the visitors are battling for a top-four spot.

Atletico have actually lost their last two league games against Sevilla but ran out 2-0 winners when the two teams last locked horns at Wanda Metropolitano in January of last year.

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Sevilla, meanwhile, missed the chance to secure their spot in next season's Champions League by playing out a 0-0 with Mallorca on Tuesday night, which made it three draws in a row for Julen Lopetegui's side.

Los Nervionenses are five points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis with two games left, and a point in this match would be enough to secure a top-four spot, as they have a superior head-to-head record over their rivals.

Sevilla will not want to head into their final match of the season against Athletic Bilbao knowing that they need a result to secure a spot in next season's European Cup, but the Red and Whites will be aware of the size of the task waiting for them in the Spanish capital this weekend.

Lopetegui's team have only won one of their last five in the league, and the recent home draws against Cadiz and Mallorca have been damaging, but Real Betis have it all to do to finish above them.

Sevilla have only actually lost one of their last seven league matches against Atletico, drawing four times in the process, which should mean that confidence is high heading into this match, and they could lose and still secure a top-four spot if Real Betis fail to overcome Granada on home soil.

Team News

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Atletico are again expected to be missing both Thomas Lemar and Joao Felix through injury for this match, but Marcos Llorente will be back after serving a suspension.

Sime Vrsaljko is also a major doubt, having been replaced early on against Elche, and Llorente is likely to take his spot in the starting XI, while Angel Correa and Luis Suarez are in contention for spots in attack.

Cunha's goal against Elche could see the Brazilian retain his position alongside Antoine Griezmann, though, while De Paul is also expected to feature in central midfield once again.

As for Sevilla, Karim Rekik, Fernando and Suso will remain on the sidelines through injury, but the visitors did not pick up any fresh issues against Mallorca.

Head coach Lopetegui is expected to make changes, though, with Anthony Martial, Thomas Delaney and Lucas Ocampos all pushing for returns to the starting side.

Martial could feature through the middle for the visitors, while Delaney could come into the midfield alongside Ivan Rakitic and Joan Jordan, with Lopetegui likely to shuffle his pack following the disappointing performance against Mallorca.

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Savic, Gimenez, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul, Kondogbia, Koke, Carrasco; Cunha, Griezmann

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Navas, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna; Jordan, Delaney, Rakitic; Ocampos, Martial, Corona

We say: Atletico Madrid 1-1 Sevilla

Sevilla only need a point on Sunday to ensure that they claim a top-four spot, and we are expecting the visitors to pick up the result that they require. Lopetegui's side have only lost three times on their travels this season, sharing the points on nine occasions, and we are backing a low-scoring draw here.