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Opposition lowdown: Atlético de Madrid
RCD Espanyol travel to the Spanish capital this weekend
RCD Espanyol are on the road again as they face Atlético de Madrid on Sunday.
For the last time before the World Cup break, Espanyol travel away from home looking for a positive result against the club from the capital. Atlético are third in LaLiga but in a difficult patch of form, having been knocked out of Europe altogether earlier this week.
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Name: Club Atlético de Madrid
Nickname: Los Colchoneros (The Mattress Makers)
Manager: Diego Simeone
Stadium: Cívitas Metropolitano – 68,000 capacity
Last match: L 2-1 vs FC Porto (Portugal)
Last season: 3rd
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Last meeting
Espanyol went to the Metropolitano towards the end of last season, in a match settled in dramatic late fashion deep into injury time.
Yannick Carrasco’s goal was cancelled out by a Raúl de Tomás free kick, but with the clash heading towards a stalemate, Atlético were awarded a stoppage-time penalty. Carrasco converted in the 100th minute to snatch a 2-1 victory in the hosts’ favour.
Key player
In a team filled with star-studded forwards it would be easy to highlight any one of them, but the Atlético machine runs thanks to long-serving captain Koke.
The Spaniard is the crucial cog at the heart of midfield, which makes his current injury absence even more significant for Atlético. Espanyol will look to capitalise on the altered midfield battle, though players like Axel Witsel will still provide a stern test.
Club links
When Maxi Rodríguez first left his native Argentina for Europe, his first destination was Espanyol in 2002. Still a young developing forward then, he spent three years with the blanquiazules and had an impressive tally of 15 goals in his final season.
Rodríguez switched to Atlético in 2005 where he made over 150 appearances in the capital. His time in Spain saw him play 232 times in LaLiga with half a century of goals, before he left for pastures new and headed to the Premier League to play for Liverpool.
Blanquiazul reunion
Mario Hermoso welcomes his former side to the Cívitas Metropolitano this weekend, having moved across from Barcelona to Madrid in 2019.
The central defender enjoyed two successful seasons at the RCDE Stadium, where he earned his Spanish national team debut and helped the Club qualify for the Europa League before joining Atlético.