Girona vs Atletico Madrid: Diego Simeone’s Side Have Found Form

• Atletico Madrid are up to third place as they seek Champions League qualification

• Congested bottom half of La Liga table means Girona could still get relegated

• Atletico Madrid should prove too strong for Girona in this Monday’s match

Girona vs Atletico Madrid Odds

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Girona vs Atletico Madrid Pick

Diego Simeone’s side have been playing well of late and they can pick up another victory here.

Back Atletico Madrid to beat Girona this weekend. (+105)

Girona vs Atletico Madrid Predictions

Atletico Madrid Are Looking Good for Another Top-Three Finish

Momentum is a powerful force in soccer, and Atletico Madrid are feeling the benefits of it right now. Before the domestic season paused for World Cup 2022 in November and December, there was considerable talk over whether the time had come for Diego Simeone to step down as the club’s manager.

There is still no guarantee that the Argentine will still be at the helm at the beginning of next season. 

In many ways this has still been a disappointing season for Atletico, who have already fallen short in the La Liga title race (17 points adrift of top spot), the Champions League (a group stage exit), and the Copa del Rey (out in the quarter-finals).

But it does look increasingly likely that Atletico will at least finish in the top four of La Liga, thus qualifying for next season’s edition of the Champions League. A failure to do so would have been a major blow for a club that has established itself as the third force in Spain in recent years.

Since a slender - and somewhat unfortunate - 1-0 home loss to Barcelona in January, Atletico have gone eight games unbeaten. No team in La Liga has a longer active undefeated streak, and only Barcelona have amassed more points over that period.

Perhaps the most welcome development for the club’s supporters is that Atletico’s return to form has been built on their attack rather than their defense. No side in the division has scored more goals over the last eight matches than Atletico, who have found the net 15 times.

They really turned on the style in a 6-1 thrashing of Sevilla last time out, with Antoine Griezmann delivering one of the best individual performances of the La Liga season. Atletico have now opened up a four-point buffer above Real Betis in fifth.

Girona Are Not Quite Out of Relegation Conversation Just Yet

Over the last eight matches, Atletico Madrid have been impressively consistent. The same cannot be said for Girona, who have won four and lost four. As a result, it remains to be seen whether they will emerge as European contenders or relegation candidates for the remainder of the campaign.

In truth, a straightforward mid-table finish would make this an excellent campaign for a team that was only promoted to La Liga last season. Survival was the principal objective for Girona, and they are on course to realize that aim. 

A five-point gap to the seventh spot, which will probably bring with it a place in the Europa Conference League, only emphasizes how well Michel’s men have done since achieving promotion at the end of last season via the play-offs.

But it is still too early for anyone at the Estadi Montilivi to start celebrating. Elche are cut adrift at the bottom of the table, but the rest of the lower half is tight and congested. Indeed, Girona might be 11th at the time of writing but they are just five points above the dreaded dotted line.

Michel’s side have certainly not looked like relegation contenders so far. The expected goals data, which measures the quality of chances a team creates and concedes, ranks Girona as the eighth-best-performing team in La Liga.

Yet Michel’s side probably need around three more wins to be sure of their La Liga status. That is well within their grasp but the sooner Girona get close to 40 points, the better. Collecting three against Atletico Madrid on Monday would be welcome.

Atletico Madrid Can Emerge Triumphant at the Estadi Montilivi

Girona did not roll over in the reverse fixture at the Civitas Metropolitano. A 2-1 defeat was a respectable result, although it came amid a seven-game winless streak which suggested Girona might struggle to stay in the top tier of Spanish soccer for more than one season.

They showed similar battling qualities in a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in October, and in a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Barcelona in January. Therefore, Atletico might not have everything their own way on Monday.

On balance, though, it is hard to look past an away win in this one. Somewhat surprisingly, Simeone’s side have amassed more points at opposition stadiums (24) than their own (21) in 2022/23. Only Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Real Sociedad have fared better on their travels.

Atletico are a tough nut for home teams to crack, with just two defeats and eight goals conceded on the road. Girona recently hit Almeria for six at the Estadio Montilivi, but they will find it much more difficult to penetrate Atletico’s backline.

Griezmann, Memphis Depay, and Alvaro Morata all starred in the 6-1 thrashing of Sevilla last time out, and Atletico’s attacking players will fancy their chances against a defense that has conceded nine goals in its last four outings. Back an away win on Monday.

How to Watch Girona vs Atletico Madrid

• Teams: Girona vs Atletico Madrid

• Location: Estadi Montilivi, Girona, Spain

• Time: Mar. 13, 2023, 4 p.m. EST

• How to Watch: ESPN+