La Liga: Simeone Looking for a Response from Atletico

Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis

Atletico Madrid aim to get their La Liga campaign back on track on Sunday when in-form Real Betis are the visitors to the Wanda Metropolitano.

Diego Simeone’s side come into the game on the back of a draw with struggling Levante while Betis whacked Valencia 4-1 in midweek, and head coach Manuel Pellegrini brings his side to Madrid flying high in fourth place and two positions above their hosts.

Los Rojiblancos are hot favourites at 1.52 to take all three points from this clash; but if last week is anything to go by they are in for a difficult afternoon.

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Serie A

Talking Points

Bad week for Atleti

This week the La Liga 2021 news headlines have been dominated by the sacking of Ronald Koeman at Barcelona. Of course the Catalans are one of Atleti’s biggest rivals for the La Liga title and to see the club in some disarray will be popular on both sides of Madrid. But Diego Simeone’s team hasn’t quite found the consistency which took them to the 2021 La Liga title and they’ve had a pretty forgettable week. Two draws within five days, and four points dropped, has seen Los Rojiblancos slide to sixth place. It’s pretty tight at the top though, Atleti are just five points behind leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand; and the latest La Liga 2021 betting odds pitch them as second favourites behind Real Madrid, and ahead of both Sevilla and Barcelona.

Drawing at home to leaders Sociedad wasn’t such a bad result, particularly after they went 2-0 down early in the second half. Luis Suarez pulled Los Rojiblancos out of the mire with a well taken double and, at that stage, they hadn’t lost any ground. But a similar result away to struggling Levante was a disaster. Antoine Griezmann gave Atleti an early lead and after Enis Bardhi had levelled for the hosts Matheus Cunha restored Atleti’s advantage. But Bardhi’s 90^th minute penalty made it two points from two games for Los Rojiblancos, while Levante stayed in the bottom three.

The furious Simeone was red carded and he may not have calmed down yet!

Suarez scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season in the draw with Sociedad in Atleti’s second half comeback and he has been the go-to man in a team full of riches. And Simeone will be looking for a response from the likes of Griezmann, Joao Felix, Rodrigo de Paul and Renan Lodi.

Attacking midfielder Thomas Lemar is out injured but other than that Simeone has a full strength side and one capable of getting their title challenge back on track.

Good week for Real Betis

As bad as Atleti’s week was, Real Betis have enjoyed a super seven days, picking up six points to help them leapfrog Atleti and into the Champions League places. Last weekend Pellegrini’s side won a five goal thriller against in-form Rayo Vallecano and goals have been coming at a handy pace. Betis have scored 19 so far, four more than Atletico, and they have plenty of attacking players who are bang in form. Experienced striker Borja Iglesias scored twice as Los Verdiblancos thrashed Valencia in midweek and he was also on target as Betis earned a 1-1 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen last week. That result kept them joint top of Europa League Group G alongside Leverkusen and in good shape to advance to the knockout phase.

Can Real Betis continue their winning streak against La Liga defending champions Atletico Madrid? — Real Betis’ Borja Iglesias celebrates scoring their first goal against Bayer Leverkusen in Europa League

Brazilian striker Willian Jose scored the winner against Rayo with a well taken penalty last Sunday, and both he and Juanmi have five goals this season, while the livewire Nabil Fekir has been in fine form, providing three assists for his strikers.

The Betis defence has been strengthened by the arrival of former Arsenal wing-back Hector Bellerin and they are four matches unbeaten, last coming unstuck in a 2-0 defeat away to Villarreal.

History

Los Rojiblancos have had the better of the head to head encounters with Sunday’s opponents, winning 23 of the last 49 meetings while Betis have won 12 and there have been 14 draws.

Last season Atleti triumphed 2-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano thanks to goals from Marcos Llorente and Suarez, while right back Martin Montoya was sent off for Los Verdiblancos

Atletico have not lost to Betis at the Wanda Metropolitano in the last nine encounters.

Betting Tip

	Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis	Correct Score Atletico Madrid 2-0 @ 6.20
	October 31, 23:15 (GMT+8)

The draw is at SBOTOP odds of 3.69 and Betis are at 5.99 to win and, given Atleti’s recent stutter and los Verdiblancos’ impressive form, either outcome is perfectly possible.

But man-for-man Atletico Madrid have the edge over their opponents as well as home advantage and, of course, they have a rather angry head coach to appease!