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

Fresh from an excellent result in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona, Atletico Madrid will resume their La Liga campaign against Sevilla on Saturday.

Atletico are currently fourth in the La Liga table, 12 points ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis, while Sevilla are 17th, only two points outside of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Sevilla are firmly locked in a relegation battle approaching the final straight, with a very difficult season leaving them in 17th spot in the table, having picked up just 31 points from 30 matches, and they are just two points ahead of 18th-placed Elche.

Los Nervionenses have lost their last three league games against Barcelona, Valencia and Real Oviedo, while they have been victorious in just one of their last eight La Liga fixtures.

Sevilla finished 17th in Spain's top flight last season, only avoiding relegation by a single point, and they are once again facing a first relegation since 1999-2000.

Luis Garcia Plaza's team have the second-worst home record in La Liga this season, picking up just 16 points from 15 matches, suffering seven defeats in the process.

Sevilla suffered a 3-0 defeat to Atletico in the reverse match earlier this season, while it was 2-1 to the capital outfit when the pair met at Estadio Ramon last term.

Atletico have only lost once to Sevilla since December 2021, but to suggest that the Red and Whites will have their mind elsewhere is a huge understatement.

Indeed, Diego Simeone's side recorded a spectacular 2-0 victory against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

Atletico will host Barcelona next week, looking to complete the job and reach the semi-finals, while they will take on Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final next weekend.

La Liga is currently third on Atletico's list of priorities, as they are comfortably in the top four, sitting 12 points ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis, and the Red and Whites have actually lost their last two in Spain's top flight against Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Sevilla need to win on Saturday more than Atletico do, but the visitors will not want to enter next week's European Cup quarter-final second leg with Barcelona off the back of a poor performance.

Sevilla 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

Sevilla will again be without the services of Marcao (knee) through injury, while Cesar Azpilicueta (muscle) needs to be assessed before a final decision can be made on his fitness.

Lucien Agoume will return after missing the defeat to Real Oviedo last time out due to a ban, but Tanguy Nianzou and Jose Angel Carmona are now both suspended.

There should be an immediate return in midfield for Agoume, while there could be introductions into the starting side for both Gabriel Suazo and Chidera Ejuke.

As for Atletico, Koke and Nico Gonzalez are both suspended for this weekend's match, while Jose Gimenez, Johnny Cardoso, Pablo Barrios and David Hancko are all injury doubts.

Head coach Simeone is expected to rest players with one eye on next week's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Barcelona, so Giuliano Simeone, Julian Alvarez, Antoine Griezmann and Marcos Llorente are unlikely to start.

Alexander Sorloth scored off the bench against Barcelona and is likely to lead the line, while there is expected to be a spot in the middle of midfield for Obed Vargas.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Sanchez, Castrin, Salas, Suazo; Gudelj, Agoume; Ejuke, Sow, Vargas; Adams

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:

Musso; Molina, Pubill, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Mendoza, Vargas; Almada, Baena, Lookman; Sorloth

We say: Sevilla 1-1 Atletico Madrid

Atletico will be distracted by their Champions League exploits, and the visitors are not expected to be at full strength, but they should still be good enough to claim a point against an out-of-form and struggling Sevilla outfit.

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