Atletico Madrid will welcome Villareal to the capital this Sunday as both sides battle for three points in their second league fixture of the season.
Venue: Wanda Metropolitano (Madrid)
Key Statistics
Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their last five league games (W4, D1).
They are unbeaten in their last eight games against Villarreal (W3, D5).
The hosts have won just two of their last league meetings at home (D4, L2).
Villarreal have won their last three away trips, scoring ten goals in the process.
The Yellow Submarines have scored two or more goals in six of their last ten away matches.
Villarreal coach Unai Emery is winless in 15 consecutive personal head-to-head matches against Atlético (D7, L8), with his side conceding exactly two goals in each of the last three meetings in that run.
Head to head
Both teams have four wins apiece in their last 15 meetings.
Latest performances in all competitions
Atletico Madrid: W-W-W-W-W
Villarreal: W-W-W-W-D
Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid will look to make it two wins in two games when they welcome Villarreal to Wanda Metropolitano this Sunday.
The hosts opened their season with an impressive 3-0 win over Getafe away from home. In a game that saw Manchester United target Joao Felix becoming just the third Portuguese to provide three assists in a single game, it was goals from Alvaro Morata and Antonio Griezmann, two players not sure of their place in the team, that scored the goals that fetched Atletico all three points.
The win was Atletico’s sixth win on the bounce following their 100% win in pre-season games. It was also their fifth La Liga game without a defeat.
And so, they come into this tie as the more in-form side. They will be looking to extend their unbeaten run a game further and also make it nine games without a loss against Villarreal.
Possible Atletico Madrid starting line-up
Jan Oblak; Stefan Savic, Mario Hermoso, Reinaldo Mandava; Koke, Axel Witsel, Marcos Llorente, Thomas Lemar, Saul Niguez; Joao Felix, Alvaro Morata.
Injured: None
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Villarreal
After their midweek exertions in the UEFA Conference League, Villarreal will turn their attention to the league where they will hope to get their second win of the season.
The visitors opened their league account with a 3-0 away win to Real Valladolid last weekend, thanks to goals from Nicola Jackson and Alex Baena.
But followed up that win with a 4-2 win over Hajduk Split last Thursday, taking their quest to play in the Europa Conference League this season a step further.
Having finished seventh last season, Unai Emery has pointed out that his side’s ambition this season is to finish in the top six places.
With this game coming so early in the season, Emery will be desperate for his side to get a win as they look to keep pace with the rest of the league leaders.
Possible Villarreal line-up
Geronimo Rulli, Juan Foyth, Raul Albiol, Pau Torres, Alfomso Pedraza, Yeremi Pino, Etienne Capoue, Dani Parejo, Francis Coquelin; Gerard Moreno, Nicolas Jackson.
Injured: Alberto Moreno, Manu Trigueros
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-2 Villarreal
