Atletico Madrid will look to extend their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to Balaidos for Thursday’s meeting Celta Vigo.

Atleti starts the seventh matchday in fourth place in the table, while the guests are three points away in ninth place.

Game preview

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Celta experienced contrasting fortunes in their home and away games this season as they won all three games at Balaidos and lost all three away games.

Claudio Giraldez started his first full season as Celta coach with back-to-back wins over Alaves and Valencia before his side suffered back-to-back defeats against Villarreal and Osasuna.

Los Celestes bounced back with a 3-1 home win against Real Valladolid, but they suffered the wrong half in Sunday’s game against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames with the same result Iago AspasThe penalty in the first half was just a consolation.

With 14 goals, Celta is the league’s third-highest scorer after Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​but their attacking philosophy has ultimately left them vulnerable at the other end of the pitch, conceding 13 goals, giving them the second-worst defensive record.

Although their defense may be shaky, Los Celestes fancy their chances of taking something from Thursday’s contest, having gone undefeated in each of their last nine home league games since losing to Barcelona in February (W7, D2 ).

However, Celta have struggled in recent meetings with Atleti, failing to win any of their last 11 direct games (W8, D3).

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Atletico have proven to be a difficult team to beat in the early stages of the 2024/25 season, with their first seven competitive games producing four wins and three draws.

Despite being one of three teams yet to lose in La Liga this season, Atletico will be frustrated that they have dropped points in three games, particularly in a goalless affair against Espanyol and Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano.

Atleti traveled to Vallecas confident after reeling off three straight wins, including a dramatic home Champions League victory against RB Leipzig.

However, her mood worsened with Rayo Isi Palazon scored the first goal in the first half, in the meantime Conor Gallagher Despite scoring another goal in the 50th minute, Atleti failed to find the elusive winner and they ended the weekend six points behind league leaders Barcelona.

Diego Simeone will be keen to ensure his team avoids any further slip-ups on Thursday, especially as he wants his side to gain momentum ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated derby clash at the Civitas Metropolitano.

The Colchoneros will certainly draw confidence from the fact that they have won each of their last six games against Celta, including a 3-0 win against Balaidos last season.

Celta Vigo La Liga form:

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

Atlético Madrid form (all competitions):

Team news

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Celtas Mihailo Ristic And Luca de la Torre remain sidelined due to calf and ankle injuries Oscar Mingueza is out after suffering a muscle injury against Athletic.

With Mingueza unavailable, Giraldez faces a move Hugo Alvarez over to the right wing-back and bring it Marcos Alonso into the side to appear on the left flank.

The Celta boss could make further changes to freshen up his squad Fran Beltran, Ilaix Moriba And Williot Swedberg in the race for the start.

Borja Iglesias is also in the starting line-up as the striker wants to add to the three goals he has already scored this season.

As for the visitors, they don’t have an experienced defender to rely on Cesar Azpilicuetawho sustained a muscle injury during the draw with Rayo.

Thomas Lemar And Pablo Barrios There are also doubts due to their respective physical problems Rodrigo De Paul should be fit to be in the squad after having to sit out Sunday’s competition.

Atletico’s talisman Antoine Griezmann was left out of the squad at the weekend, but the attacker is expected to return to the team for the upcoming away game.

Robin Le Normand, Jose Maria Gimenez And Rodrigo Riquelme could also be brought into Simeone’s starting XI.

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:
Guaita; J. Rodriguez, Starfelt, Jailson; Alvarez, Beltran, Moriba, Alonso; Aspas, Swedberg, Iglesias

Possible Atletico Madrid starting lineup:
Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Gimenez, Reinildo, Lino; Gallagher, Koke, Riquelme; Griezmann, Sorloth

We say: Celta Vigo – Atlético Madrid 1:2

Celta may be unbeaten in nine consecutive home games, but they tend to struggle in meetings with Atlético and we expect the visitors to end up with the extra quality needed to overcome their hosts and secure their seventh direct win to achieve in a row.

For data analysis of the most likely outcomes, scores and more for this game, please click here.

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