Our prediction for this Primera Division match:
After dropping two points in a 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid will look to get back on course when they take on Levante at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia on Matchday 11. Los Rojiblancos aim to stay in the title race, and they are likely to go all guns blazing at Levante. Luis Suarez, who scored a brace against La Real, will be the man to watch in the away team, while both Marcos Llorente and Stefan Savic are out of contention with injuries.
Los Levantinos, on the other hand, experienced all sorts of problems at the back in a 5-3 loss at Sevilla, and it is no wonder the bookies see them as underdogs in Thursday’s clash. Atletico Madrid are more of a team than Levante, and we predict that Diego Simeone’s troops will prove their worth on the field. All Shkodran Mustafi, Sergio Postigo, and Jose Campana are out of contention with injuries.
Highlighted Player (Coke):
Coke began his professional career at Rayo Vallecano, playing 180 games for the capital club between 2005 and 2011. The pacey full back joined Sevilla in June, 2011 and he made a right decision when he moved to the fellow La Liga side.
The Spanish footballer, who is capable of playing as both full back and a winger, won three UEFA Europa League trophies with los Sevillanos (2014, 2015, 2016) and he made it to the Spanish Cup final in the 2015/2016 season with the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan outfit. Sevilla, though, failed to make life difficult for Barcelona in the title game. After spending five years in Andalusia, Coke signed a three-year contract with Schalke on 31 July, 2016 for a fee of €5 million.
However, before the start of the 2016/2017 Bundesliga campaign he suffered a serious injury in a warm-up game against Bologna. Speaking of his international career, Coke has one cap for Spain U16, but he has yet to make his debut for the first team.
Highlighted Team (Atletico Madrid):
Atletico Madrid are a Spanish team that plays in Primera Division (La Liga). Los Rojiblancos or los Colchoneros play their home matches at Estadio Vicente Calderon, which holds up to 54,960 spectators. Atletico Madrid have won 10 La Liga titles, but they have yet to lift the European Cup (Champions League) trophy.
Los Rojiblancos have won 10 Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) trophies and it has to be noted that they defeated their bitter local rivals Real Madrid in the 2012/2013 Spanish Cup final. The rivalry between the two capital clubs is pretty big and El Madrileno is regarded as one of the most exciting derbies in the world football.
Atletico Madrid played two Champions League finals under Diego Simeone, but they failed to beat Real Madrid in the title games (2013/2014 and 2015/2016). However, the Argentine tactician helped Atletico Madrid win the La Liga trophy in 2014 and, no doubt, he is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the capital club.