Atletico Madrid take on Elche in the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero in a game they need to win in order to stay in touch with their rivals for La Liga.
Atletico are currently third in the league, four behind Real Madrid and two behind Barcelona. They have the second best defence in La Liga and the third best attack. They have been excellent at home taking nineteen points from a possible twenty-one but it is their away form that has saw them fall behind in the title race. They have won three, drew one and lost two away from home which is respectable in normal circumstances but when you are trying to beat Real and Barca it has to be even better.
Atleti come into this game in good form having won five of their last six in La Liga but they will be without Christian Ansaldi and Miranda due to injury. 19 year old Uruguayan centre back, Gimenez will come in for Miranda and Guilherme Siqueira will replace Ansaldi. Atletico will go to Turin to play Juventus next Tuesday. They are already guaranteed qualification but will win the group if they avoid defeat.
Elche are struggling in their second season in the top flight and currently sit nineteenth in La Liga. They have conceded twenty-seven goals which is better than only Levante who have conceded twenty-eight. They have won just one of their last ten games but things are tight at the bottom of La Liga and a point could take them out of the relegation zone.
Jonathas has been the top scorer with six goals for Los Franjiverdes and he will be the one player Fran Escriba will be hoping can win him the game. Garry Rodrigues and Manu Herrera are injured and Lomban also looks set to miss out after the death of his grandmother.
Atleti will quite rightly be favourites to win this one but Elche will not roll over, particularly at home. However, it would be a big surprise if Diego Simeone's men don't go second in La Liga tomorrow ahead of Barcelona's game on Sunday.
Projected Line-ups
Elche - Tyton; Suarez, Roco, Pelegrin, Cisma; Mosquera, Adrian; Fajr, Pasalic, Rodriguez; Jonathas.
Atletico Madrid - Moya; Juanfran, Godin, Gimenez, Siqueira; Koke, Tiago, Gabi, Turan; Mandzukic, Griezmann.