Atl. Madrid vs Girona prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2024-04-12 12:00.
[p]Not for the first time in his 12-year stay at AtlĂ©tico Madrid, head coach Diego Simeone has to delicately balance the UEFA knockout stages with ensuring his team can qualify for the next edition of the competition. Itâs the third time in the last five seasons that AtlĂ©tico were in fourth place after each team had played 30 games, and they should at least be relieved that their first back-to-back defeats of the league campaign were put behind them.[/p]
[p]A pair of 2-1 wins, away to Villarreal in La Liga and in their Champions League quarter-final home leg against Dortmund, has their season back on track and at the perfect time. Whilst no longer invincible at home as they were right up until mid-December, Simeoneâs players still own a formidable 87% win rate at home across all competitions this season (W20, D1, L2), a record that holds them in excellent stead ahead of this encounter. [/p]
[p]Since their blistering start to the season, Girona have continued to dream of playing in next seasonâs Champions League, and moved one step closer to achieving that last round by recording their 20th win of the league season – a hard-fought 3-2 triumph at home to Betis in which they conceded two equalisers. Their last seven league matches were won by the home side of the day, which doesnât bode well for this particular clash, but with a nine-point lead over fifth-place Athletic Club ahead of this matchday, their top-four spot is still very safe. [/p]
[p]Ironically, Girona also had to overcome two equalisers when last meeting Atlético, emerging 4-3 winners to contribute to their remarkably high average of 3.27 total match goals per La Liga game this season. But failing to fire against Real Madrid (L 4-0), Mallorca (L 1-0) and Getafe (L 1-0) in their four consecutive league away losses leaves them unlikely to play their part in another high scoring affair this time around, particularly if they fall behind prior to half-time as they did in all four of those matches.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Despite being short on goals lately, Ălvaro Morata could be inspired by having struck in three of his four meetings with Girona. Following his double against Betis, Artem Dovbyk has scored in nine of Gironaâs 20 league wins this season. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: The half-time and full-time results were the same in 12 of the last 14 La Liga matches involving either side. [/p]