Preview: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups

La Liga leaders Real Sociedad travel to the Spanish capital on Sunday to face fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, who are looking to bounce back from Champions League defeat in midweek.

Sociedad have played one more game than the three teams below them in the table, but they are currently on an 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions.

Match preview

Diego Simeone's side have not played in La Liga since October 2 as their match against Granada, which was due to be played last Sunday, was postponed thanks to a special request regarding players still being on international duty representing nations in South America.

That means that Atletico's last league outing was against Barcelona, and first-half goals from Thomas Lemar and former Barca striker Luis Suarez sealed a 2-0 win for the Spanish champions.

However, last time out Simeone's side welcomed Liverpool to the Wanda Metropolitano in gameweek three of the Champions League group stages, and the home team were left frustrated after losing 3-2 against the Premier League outfit.

After Mohamed Salah and Naby Keita had given the visitors a 2-0 lead, Antoine Griezmann got his side back into the game with a brace before half time, but the Frenchman was straight back involved in the action after the break.

Griezmann saw red for a high boot on Roberto Firmino and Liverpool capitalised with their extra player, going on to collect three points in Madrid after Salah converted a penalty in the 78th minute.

If Atletico can bounce back from that Champions League defeat on Sunday with three points against the league leaders, then Simeone's side will leapfrog Sociedad to top the table on goal difference.

Sociedad continued their good run of form last time out in the Europa League on Thursday, when they travelled to Austria where they faced Sturm Graz.

After drawing their first two games in that competition, Imanol Alguacil's side were in need of collecting three points, and that is exactly what they achieved thanks to a single strike from Alexander Isak.

That result followed another 1-0 victory in La Liga last weekend, when the home side played the whole second half with 10 players after Aihen Munoz was sent off, but Julen Lobete ensured that the 10 players of Sociedad recorded their sixth win of the league season with a strike in the 90th minute against Mallorca.

Having only scored once in those two games, that means that Los Txuri-Urdin have not scored more than one goal in any of their last five matches in all competitions, suggesting that their defence will have to be strong against Atletico.

Atletico are unbeaten in their first four home matches in La Liga, while Sociedad have won two out of their four outings away from the Reale Arena.

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

• D
• W
• D
• W
• L
• W

Atletico Madrid form (all competitions):

• D
• W
• L
• W
• W
• L

Real Sociedad La Liga form:

• W
• D
• W
• W
• D
• W

Real Sociedad form (all competitions):

• W
• W
• D
• D
• W
• W

Team News

Griezmann is available for the home side this weekend as he will serve his suspension during Atletico's next Champions League match against Liverpool in November.

Midfielder Marcos Llorente was an injury doubt before Atletico's match against Liverpool, but the 26-year-old did manage to play 10 minutes at the end of Tuesday's game, although he may not be fit enough to start on Sunday.

Stefan Savic will also continue to be absent from Simeone's squad as he serves his lengthy suspension, meaning that Mario Hermoso, Felipe and Jose Gimenez are likely to continue as the back three for the home side.

Munoz will serve his one-match suspension at the Wanda Metropolitano, after he played 90 minutes for Sociedad in the Europa League on Thursday.

Diego Rico is yet to feature for his new club as he continues to recover from a muscle injury, while Nacho Monreal and Mikel Oyarzabal are also absentees for the visitors due to injury.

Striker Carlos Fernandez faces a longer time in the physio room as he recovers from a cruciate ligament injury, but Aritz Elustondo is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing out on Thursday's Europa League encounter.

Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Hermoso, Felipe, Gimenez; Carrasco, Lemar, Koke, De Paul, Trippier; Griezmann, Suarez

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Gorosabel, Normand, Elustondo, Zaldua; Zubimendi; Silva, Merino, Turrientes, Januzaj; Isak

We say: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Real Sociedad

After Champions League defeat in midweek, Simeone will be rallying his players up to bounce back positively on the weekend, and with the incentive to potentially go top of the table, that will only help the home side.

Sociedad have not been winning their matches by big margins, suggesting that with a high-quality attack, which Atletico possess, the visitors could become undone at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Top tip

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