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Atletico Madrid have been provided with a second chance to make their lead at the top of LaLiga count. Barcelona’s loss to Granada in their last league match meant that they failed to surpass the Rojiblancos at the top of the table. Atletico Madrid will hope to capitalize on Barcelona’s costly slip up when they face Elche.
When the referee blew for full-time at Camp Nou, the scoreline read 2-1 to Granada. The European hopefuls celebrated their victory over the title chasers, whose hopes of winning the league they had just squashed. One can imagine how much more joyous the celebrations must’ve been in one half of Madrid following Barcelona’s defeat. Atletico Madrid were given what many entities rarely receive in a situation such as this – a second chance.
It looked like Diego Simeone’s team had spurned the chance of winning their first title since 2014 last weekend, when they lost against Athletic Club. Atletico, who held a 12 point lead over their rivals until recently, now risked losing the coveted top spot to Barcelona. However, the Blaugrana’s defeat to Granda has allowed them to retain their position as the league leaders for now. With just five games left to play this season, Simeone will hope that his side does not slip up again.
Next up for Atletico are relegation-threatened Elche. Fran Escriba’s side is 18th in the league and struggling to maintain their LaLiga status for another season. A win against Elche is a must for Atletico, given that the team they are going to face after them is Barcelona.
The Rojiblancos will take on the Blaugrana in what is now expected to be the title clash on May 8. A win for either team would guarantee the top spot for them. However, a draw could allow Real Madrid and Sevilla to take advantage and leapfrog them at the top of the table.
Key Players
Lucas Boye: One of the key reasons why Elche have struggled in LaLiga this season is a lack of goals. It is evident how much the team needs a proper finisher when Boye is their top scorer with just four goals in the competition. Nevertheless, the team will be reliant upon the on-loan striker to get the goals against one of the league’s meanest defence. Breaking down Atletico Madrid is not easy, and so Boye will have to be at his best.
Fidel: Like Boye, Fidel too has scored five times for Elche this season. He also has had a hand in three assists, bringing his total goal contribution to eight – almost twenty-five per cent of all the goals his team has scored. Fidel is currently in his second stint at the club, after playing for them between 2012 and 2015. He was a key member of the squad that won promotion to the Spanish top division last season.
Marcos Llorente: One of Diego Simeone’s most successful tactical tweaks has been switching Marcos Llorente into an attacking midfielder. The Spaniard has rewarded his manager with an extraordinary output. This season alone he has reached double figures in terms of both goals and assists. Llorente has scored 12 times this season, with 11 of those coming in the league. He also has 10 assists to his name, making him the joint-highest assist-provider in the competition.
Luis Suarez: The Uruguayan’s goals have dried up recently, but his record of 19 in 27 league appearances still holds up pretty well given his age. The fact that Atletico Madrid picked him up on a free transfer from a rival continues to astound fans and experts alike. The veteran forward remains key to Simeone’s plans as the season approaches its end. He will hope to fire his current side to glory after being discarded by Barcelona before the season began.
Prediction
Barcelona’s defeat to Granada could provide Atletico Madrid with the push they need to go on and win the title. The Rojiblancos have been given another chance to set things right after spurning the opportunity to run away with the title. They have to capitalize on Barcelona’s recent failings and continue their push towards the first league title since 2014.
While Atletico Madrid are dreaming of winning the title, Elche are hoping to stay in the top division for another season. Their fate is not sealed yet as some positive results of late have closed the gap between them and the pack of clubs ahead. Elche are on 30 points from 33 matches, the same as 17th place Real Valladolid. They are also just one point behind Alaves and are within touching distance of Valencia in 14th.
However, it is likely that Atletico Madrid lands a massive blow to their survival hopes this weekend. Simeone’s men have struggled at times but should be boosted by results elsewhere. A win for them in this match is a necessity rather than a formality.
