The visitors are firmly mid-table following what has been an inconsistent opening third to their season, but their home win over Malaga last weekend at least ensures that they’ll approach this clash from the top half of the table. Given that they’ve failed to score in five of their last six meetings with Saturday’s opponents, they may need to cling onto that optimism. Date: Saturday, November 28Time: 5. 15 p.
Athletic Bilbao (Away)Won 2-0 vs. Malaga (Home)Team NewsAtletico MadridFernando Torres played the full 90 minutes against Galatasaray in midweek as the forward came in for the injured Jackson Martinez, but the very fact that Simeone left the Spanish forward on for the whole game suggests that he might be considering leaving him out of this one. Presuming Martinez is still out, that could mean a start for Argentinian forward Luciano Vietto in support of Antoine Griezmann, who scored twice against the Turks before departing for the final quarter of the match. Oliver Torres came on for Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco in midweek and could start in his place.
Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV InfoCRISTINA QUICLER/Getty ImagesFour straight home wins have arrested any lingering doubts about Atletico Madrid’s season, with Diego Simeone’s men now sitting second in the Liga table following Real Madrid’s El Clasico defeat last weekend. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty ImagesAn advantage over Real at any point of the campaign is something that has to be built upon, and so there will be no thought other than turning those four straight wins into five when Espanyol come calling to the Vicente Calderon on Saturday evening.
Possible Lineup: Oblak, Jesus Gamez, Godin, Gimenez, Filipe Luis, Tiago, Gabi, Koke, Oliver Torres, Griezmann, Vietto. EspanyolArbilla is the only reported injury at Espanyol at the time of writing, so coach Sergio Gonzalez must be tempted to go with the same XI that impressively beat Malaga at home last time out. Of course, this will be a much tougher test, with perhaps the only change seeing left-back Ruben Duarte come in for Juan Fuentes, whom he replaced at the break in that Malaga victory. Possible Lineup: Pau Lopez, Javi Lopez, Roco, Gonzalez, Ruben Duarte, Diop, Sanchez, Alvarez, Asensio, Perez, Caicedo.
Athletic Bilbao vs Espanyol: Live Score, Stream and H2H