Atletico Madrid - Celta Vigo predictions and free betting tips [12/05/2024]

On Sunday, 12th May, the Madrid-based Atletico will host Celta in the 35th round of the Spanish Primer. Diego Simeone's squad holds fourth place in the overall standings, six points ahead of trailing Athletic, while Celta is eight points away from the relegation zone.

Predicted Lineups

Atletico: Oblak; Witsel, Jimenez, Azpilicueta; Riquelme, De Paul, Barrios, Koke, Lino; Griezmann, Correa.   
Celta: Guaita; Manquillo, Starfelt, Gylson; Mingueza, Rodriguez, Beltran, Alvarez; Aspas, Larsen, Svedberg.   

Atletico

As expected before the season’s start, Atletico has been battling for Champions League spots. Despite Barcelona, Real Madrid and Girona pulling ahead, Los Colchoneros should have a more grounded aim. Occupying 4th place in the league table, the hosts suffered a fiasco in the Copa del Rey (losing in the semi-finals against Athletic Bilbao: a 0:4 aggregate over two games) and are six points behind the leading trio. However, Diego Simeone's men won the crucial match a couple of weeks ago, practically securing a finish in the top four by beating Bilbao's Lions (3:1). Last weekend, the Mattress Makers achieved their second consecutive victory in La Liga, defeating Mallorca away (0:1) courtesy of an early Riquelme goal.

Significantly, the capital team bagged 46 points in 17 home games (second-best in the division). Good news for Atletico fans is that France's vice-captain Antoine Griezmann (13 goals, 6 assists) will return to action after serving his suspension in the previous round. However, Frenchman Thomas Lemar, like Memphis Depay, is still in the infirmary. Notably, central defender Hermoso and Argentine World Cup champion Molina are unlikely to fully recover from their injuries by Sunday. Alvaro Morata (14 goals in the league), Angel Correa (9 goals, 2 assists) and Rodrigo Riquelme (3 goals, 5 assists) will assuredly feature in the attack, whilst Rodrigo De Paul will cement the host's backbone.  

Celta

Just like last year, Celta Vigo is in the thick of the survival struggle but has a comfortable lead of eight points over Cadiz, who ranks 18th. The Andalusians play a day earlier, and if they falter, the Galicians could be just one point away from officially securing their elite status. The Sky Blues have won twice in the last 3 La Liga matches: at home against Las Palmas (4:1) and last weekend against Villarreal, aided by Santi Comesaña's red card received just under half an hour before the end of the match (3:2); all was decided by Tasos Douvikas's goal in the 82nd minute. Notably, Claudio Hiralde's men hold the 15th spot in the general tally for points garnered away from home turf (14 in 17 away matches, 23 goals scored, 32 conceded).

Certainly, it cannot please Sky Blue fans that their favourites have secured only one "clean sheet" away in 2024, conceding an average of 2 goals per match. For Celta, only Tapia (Peru) and Aidu (Ghana) are missing due to injuries. Otherwise, the team's lineup will be fully stacked: Norwegian Larsen (12 goals, 2 assists in La Liga) and the Galicians' captain Yago Aspas (8 goals, 9 assists) will form the striking duo, whereas Douvikas might bolster the game again through a substitution in the second half. In the central defence trio, Manquillo, Starfelt and Gylson will surely participate, while the experienced Guaita has reserved the goalkeeper's spot.   

Head-to-Head

In the first leg at Balaidos, Atletico thrashed Celta 0:3. Moreover, the visitors haven't been able to defeat the Mattress Makers in the last eight encounters in Madrid. 

Prediction for the match Atletico - Celta

With the return of Griezmann, Atletico should face no difficulties pleasing home fans, continuing to hold the fourth place in the league table. Celta suffered two away defeats in a row and hasn't succeeded in Madrid since 2016. The visitors effectively saved themselves from relegation, so betting confidently on the favourite's victory with a handicap of -1.