Atletico Madrid will be bidding to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they welcome an in-form Getafe to Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday night.
The hosts will enter the contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao at San Mames, while Getafe recorded a 3-0 victory over Sevilla on Saturday to move into eighth position in the table.
Match preview
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Second-half goals from Gorka Guruzeta and Nico Williams saw Athletic record a 2-0 victory over Atletico in Saturday's clash at San Mames, with the result leaving Diego Simeone's side in fourth spot in the table.
The Red and Whites have a record of 11 wins, one draw and four defeats from their 16 league matches this season, which has seen them collect 34 points; the capital side are one point behind third-placed Barcelona and seven from leaders Girona, who are in action on Monday night.
Atletico have only won one of their last five matches away from home, losing three of their last four, so that is an area that will need to improve in the second half of the campaign if the team are to enjoy some success.
Simeone's side have been excellent at home, though, posting 11 straight wins in all competitions this season, so they will be glad to be back at Wanda Metropolitano in their penultimate match of 2023.
Atletico will play again on Saturday against Sevilla in the fixture that was postponed in September due to bad weather in the Madrid area, and back-to-back wins at the end of the year would leave them in a strong position in the table heading into the second half of the season.
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Getafe, though, will enter this match in excellent form, posting four wins in their last five matches in all competitions, including three straight successes.
The capital side progressed in the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 victory over Atzeneta on December 5 before recording back-to-back wins over Valencia and Sevilla in Spain's top flight, with the results moving them into eighth position in the table, boasting 25 points.
Jose Bordalas's side have a record of six wins, seven draws and four defeats from their 17 league matches this season, and they are only two points behind seventh-placed Real Betis.
Getafe have finished 15th in their last three La Liga seasons but are well-placed to improve on that this term, with the team potentially changing for a European finish in Spain's top flight.
The Deep Blue Ones have not managed to overcome Atletico in Spain's top flight since November 2011, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw in the corresponding fixture during the 2022-23 campaign.
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Team News
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Atletico will again be missing two players through injury on Tuesday evening, with Pablo Barrios and Thomas Lemar unavailable for selection.
The capital side did not suffer any fresh issues against Athletic, but there will be changes to the side that started on Saturday, with Rodrigo De Paul and Jose Gimenez set to come in.
Caglar Soyuncu and Saul Niguez could be the two players to make way, while Angel Correa is also pushing to be included in the side, but it should again be a front two of Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata.
As for Getafe, Mauro Arambarri and Enes Unal remain absent due to long-term knee problems, but the capital side are otherwise in strong shape heading into this match.
Their squad will be boosted by the return of Domingos Duarte from suspension, and he is expected to return to the side in the middle of the defence.
Mason Greenwood continued his strong form with a goal and an assist in the three-goal success over Sevilla, and the on-loan Manchester United forward should continue in the final third of the field, while Borja Mayoral is expected to again be partnered by Juanmi Latasa at centre-forward.
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Witsel, Gimenez, Hermoso; Molina, Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Lino; Griezmann, Morata
Getafe possible starting lineup:
Soria; Iglesias, Dakonam, Duarte, Alvarez; Greenwood, Maksimovic, Milla, Mata; Mayoral, Latasa
We say: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Getafe
Getafe are flying at the moment, and they will enter this match full of confidence. However, Atletico have been so strong at home this season, and Simeone's side will be determined to bounce back from their loss at the weekend. Getafe have enough about them to claim a positive result, but we are just expecting the home side to shade a close game on Tuesday night.
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