Atlético de Madrid return to newly minted Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Sunday afternoon for a showdown with newly promoted Leganés on matchday 10 of LaLiga.

It may not feel like third-placed Atlético Madrid (4-5-0, 17 points) are one of only two unbeaten sides in LaLiga after the second international break, but it’s been four years since Los Colchoneros have been this deep in a competition remained undefeated. competition within the competition. And Atlético – who have the league’s best defense to date – have not lost any of their past eight meetings with Leganés dating back to 2016, although it has been a while since the two sides last faced each other.

“The international break was an opportunity to work with enthusiasm, to analyze situations where we need to improve, to talk to the players who stayed,” Diego Simeone told reporters on Saturday. “We are excited to represent these changes on the field tomorrow.”

After four years in Spain’s second tier, Leganés (1-5-3, 8 points) are finally back in the top flight – although Los Pepineros have struggled to put the ball in the net and could face a battle to avoid that they fall on the right. back to LaLiga Hypermotion. Even after the shock deadline day signing of Borussia Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller, Leganés sit in 17th place with just five goals in nine weeks; The team’s top scorer so far is midfielder Juan Cruz, who has scored three goals at just 0.94 expected.

Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images

The Metropolitano is likely to be a bit quieter on Sunday, as Atlético is serving a one-match partial stadium ban (reduced from three matches on appeal), limited to the Grada de Animación in the stadium’s Fondo Sur. The ban was issued following the incidents during last month’s derby against Real Madrid; The club’s own investigation remains open as it attempts to identify and expel the socios who threw lighters (plus other items) at Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Atlético then took the extra step to stamp out this harmful fan behavior by blocking ticket sales to supporters at the Grada de Animación for the team’s next five away matches – including the Copa del Rey opener against sixth-tier Unió Esportiva Vic and the confrontation in the Champions League. against Paris Saint-Germain on November 6.

“It affects every team when the stands behind the goal are closed. Those fans are always singing,” Simeone said. “But I have no doubt that while there will be 5,000 fans missing, we still have 55,000 to make up for those who won’t be there tomorrow.”

As for Sunday’s team, Marcos Llorente will not play as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury; César Azpilicueta remains sidelined due to a muscle injury and Robin Le Normand (subdural hematoma) is expected to miss at least another month of matches. Simeone tested Javi Galán in training this week as a left back, while Antoine Griezmann is deployed in midfield. It is uncertain whether Argentina internationals Julián Alvarez and Rodrigo de Paul will start in the first match after the break, although Nahuel Molina is likely to start at right-back.

Finally, Simeone addressed the swirling Samu Omorodion controversy on Saturday, after the 20-year-old striker claimed he had been excluded and mistreated at Atlético prior to his transfer to FC Porto. El Cholo this week all but confirmed Relevo’s reporting, which claimed Samu had sent a WhatsApp message to coach and sporting director Andrea Berta in June asking him to leave the club.

“Samu knows very well that on June 28 he sent a message making it clear that he did not want to be at Atlético de Madrid,” said Simeone.

Date October 20, 2024

Location Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid

Kickoff time 4:15pm CEST, 3:15pm BST, 10:15am ET, 7:15am PT

Available TV/streaming ESPN+ (United States), Movistar+ (Spain)