Preview: Real Oviedo vs Atletico Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it three straight wins in all competitions when they head to basement side Real Oviedo on Saturday night.

Diego Simeone's side are currently fourth in the La Liga table, three points behind third-placed Villarreal, while Oviedo are bottom, eight points behind 17th-placed Elche.

Match preview

Oviedo will enter this match off the back of a six-goal thriller, drawing 3-3 with Real Sociedad; the basement side actually led 2-1 late on before conceding twice in quick succession to trail 3-2, only for Eric Bailly to register a last-gasp third for the visitors.

Guillermo Almada's side have a record of three wins, eight draws and 13 defeats from their 24 league matches this season, with 17 points leaving them bottom of the table.

The Blues are eight points behind 17th-placed Elche, and finding the back of the net has been their main problem this season, netting only 16 times in 24 matches, but their three last time out should have handed them a lot of confidence.

Oviedo have the second-worst home record in Spain's top flight this season, picking up just 11 points from 12 matches, but Atletico have only actually been victorious in three of their 12 league games away from their own stadium this term.

Earlier this season, Oviedo suffered a 2-0 defeat to Atletico, and they have not managed to overcome the capital side since October 1998.

Atletico have been victorious in their last three matches against Oviedo, including a 2-0 success on their last visit to the Blues in January 2023, which came in the Copa del Rey.

The Red and Whites have not actually faced Oviedo in the league away from home since a Segunda Division clash in May 2002, with Atletico running out 3-2 winners.

Simeone's side will enter this match off the back of a 4-1 win over Club Brugge in the second leg of their knockout round playoff on Tuesday night, with the result securing a 7-4 aggregate success for the capital outfit.

Atletico beat Espanyol 4-2 in La Liga last time out, with the result leaving them fourth in the table, three points behind third-placed Villarreal.

The Red and Whites are six points clear of fifth-placed Real Betis, meanwhile, and a top-four spot is the minimum requirement for the club this term.

Real Oviedo La Liga form:

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Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

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Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

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Team News

Oviedo will once again be without the services of David Costas through injury, while Eric Bailly and Ovie Ejaria are major doubts for the home fixture with Atletico.

Santiago Colombatto was suspended for Oviedo's 3-3 draw with Real Sociedad last time out, but the midfielder is set to return to the starting side here.

Meanwhile, there will be a spot in the final third of the field for Federico Vinas, who scored a brace in the team's contest with Real Sociedad.

As for Atletico, Rodrigo Mendoza will be available again following a suspension, but Nico Gonzalez and Pablo Barrios are once again doubts.

Alexander Sorloth scored three times in the 4-1 success over Club Brugge in the Champions League, and he is again set to be joined in the final third of the field by Julian Alvarez.

Ademola Lookman is expected to return in a wide area for the visitors, while Nahuel Molina could be introduced at right-back, with Marcos Llorente potentially pushed into midfield.

Real Oviedo possible starting lineup:

Escandell; Vidal, Carmo, Calvo, Lopez; Colombatto, Sibo; Hassan, Reina, Chaira; Vinas

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Oblak; Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Cardoso, Lookman; Sorloth, Alvarez

We say: Real Oviedo 1-2 Atletico Madrid

Atletico have struggled to win on their travels this season, and there has been recent improvement from Oviedo, so it is not impossible to imagine a draw here, but we fancy Atletico to navigate their way to all three points on Saturday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.