Preview: Levante vs Atletico Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Atletico Madrid will aim to record a seventh straight win in Spain's top flight when they head to Levante on Saturday afternoon.

Diego Simeone's side are second in the La Liga table, two points behind the leaders Barcelona, while Levante are 14th in the division on 10 points.

Match preview

Levante boast a record of two wins, four draws and four defeats from their 10 league matches this season, with 10 points leaving them in 14th, only two points outside of the relegation zone ahead of the next set of fixtures.

The Frogs, who finished 16th in Spain's top flight last season, will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad.

Luis Castro's side did record a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao in their last game in front of their own fans, though, which will hand them confidence heading into this match.

Levante have only won 10 of their previous 41 matches against Atletico in all competitions, but it was 0-0 when the two teams last locked horns in January of this year.

The Frogs were last victorious against Atletico in February 2022, and they have only lost two of their last seven matches against the Red and Whites.

Atletico will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 defeat against Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga, with the result moving them onto 25 points from their 10 matches, which has left them second in the division, two points behind the leaders Barcelona.

Simeone's side have won each of their last six league matches against Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Real Madrid, Alaves, Espanyol and Deportivo, and the capital outfit are very much in a title race at this stage of proceedings.

Atletico have also picked up four points from their last two Champions League matches, and they will return to European action at home to Bayern Munich next week.

The Red and Whites will take on Barcelona in La Liga next weekend, and it will be fascinating to see how Simeone's team perform against the champions.

Atletico finished fourth in Spain's top flight last season, 25 points off the champions Barcelona, but this squad looks capable of being firmly in the title race this term.

Levante La Liga form:

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

Team News

Levante are set to be without the services of Roger Brugue and Enzo Bardeli for the league contest with Atletico this weekend.

Brugue, who is the team's leading goalscorer this season with five, picked up an injury against Real Sociedad last time out and is likely to be replaced in the starting side by Victor Garcia.

Ivan Romero netted three times in 10 appearances for Levante this season and is set to continue in the final third of the field on Saturday.

As for Atletico, Koke, Cristian Romero and Johnny Cardoso are once again expected to miss out through injury, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape.

Julian Alvarez has now scored in back-to-back matches, and the Argentina international should continue through the middle for Simeone's side.

Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena are also in line to start, meaning that Giuliano Simeone is expected to take the place of Ademola Lookman in the starting side.

Levante possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Perez, Mandi, Ndukwe, Sanchez; Fernandez, Requena, Olasagasti, V Garcia; Ratkov, Romero

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Grimaldo; Barrios, Hjulmand, Baena; Simeone, Alvarez, Lee