Competition: Spanish La Liga 2016-17
Date: Saturday, 14th January, 17:30 GMT
Stadium: Estadio Vicente Calderon (Madrid).
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Contending squad Atletico Madrid (9-4-4, 31 points) will look to win their third straight match as the team clashes with lowly club Real Betis (6-8-3, 21 points) in a 2016-2017 La Liga season match at the Vicente Calderon Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 14.
Atletico Madrid is on a two-game winning run following two consecutive winless performances. The team is currently in the fourth spot of the Spanish top flight table, four points behind third-place squad and defending champions Barcelona. They are also temporarily occupying the final Champions League qualifying berth for next season.
Los Colchoneros is coming off a 2-0 blanking of middling team Eibar on the road at the Ipurua Municipal Stadium last Saturday, as per Goal.
The first half ended in a goalless draw as the two sides’ defenses held on. It was not until the 54th minute when the game’s deadlock was broken by Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez with a header from the center of the box off an assist by teammate Felipe Luiz following a corner kick.
Twenty minutes later, French forward Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead with a close range left-footed shot coming from a pass by compatriot Kevin Gameiro.
Meanwhile, Real Betis pulled off a similar 2-0 win over newly-promoted side Leganes in their most recent fixture last Sunday at their home ground of Benito Villamarín Stadium, via Sofa Score.
It was also a goalless first half for the two squads with Betis forward Ruben Castro netting the opening goal in the 51st minute with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box off a pass by midfielder Dani Ceballos.
Head coach Victor Sanchez’s side then doubled their lead in the 85th minute with a goal from Italian defender Cristiano Piccini off an assist by teammate Alex Alegria.
Prediction and Predicted Lineup
The predicted result is a 3-1 rout by Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-1-4-1 formation): Moya; Luis, Godin, Vrsaljko, Savic; Niguez; Koke, Gimenez, Gabi, Griezmann; Torres
Real Betis starting lineup (5-3-2 formation): Adan; Carlos, Pezzella, Durmisi, Gonzalez, Navarro; Ceballos, dos Santos, Martin; Castro, Sanabria
