Atletico Madrid - Las Palmas: La Liga team news
Atletico Madrid welcome Las Palmas to the Calderon as Diego Simeone reshuffles his pack in an attempt to reignite los Colchoneros in their battle for Champions League football Tenerife vs Getafe: Playoff Final
It is widely accepted that Atletico Madrid need a victory against Las Palmas to ensure they do not capitulate entirely this season. Yannick Carrasco admitted during the week that the team were not where they wanted to be but refused to accept that it was a crisis.
Atletico have lost four of their last seven games against Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid and Villarreal while drawing one of those and winning just two. That is just seven points out of a possible 21 and it sees them sitting in sicth place and 12 points behinf leaders Real Madrid.
Changes
Miguel Angel Moya starts in goal in place of the injured Jan Oblak. Diego Simeone has dropped Juanfran and opted for the summer signing Sime Vrsaljko at right-back while also sticking with Diego Godin and Stefan Savic at centre-half along with Lucas Hernandez in place of the injured Filipe Luis at left-back.
Koke is back in a central position with Gabi and Saul Niguez either side of him. This is the formation Simeone played for a large chunk of the beginning of the season after two draws with alaves and Leganes to start the season forced him to accept he needed to attack a little bit more. That tactic was dumped after the Real Madrid gave at the Calderon that Real Madrid won 3-0 but after a horrible run of results, it seems Simeone is willing to go back to Koke in the hope of the Spaniard reigniting Atletic's midfield and attack.
Griezmann, Gameiro and Carrasco make up the attacking three as Griezmann looks to break his worst spell in front of goal in an Atletico Madrid shirt.
Teams
Atletico:
Moya, Vrsaljko, Godin, Savic, Lucas, Saul, Koke, Gabi, Griezmann, Carrasco, Gameiro.
Las Palmas:
Varas, Michel, Lemos, Bigas, Lopes, Gomez, Roque Mesa, Montoro, El Zhar, Viera, Livaja