Deportivo Alavés-Atlético Madrid: Possible XI, prediction and how to watch LaLiga Santander 2019

Tuesday night will see Atlético Madrid kick off matchday 11 action around LaLiga, as the capital club pays a visit to the Basque Country for a duel with Deportivo Alavés.

A 2-0 win over Athletic Club on Saturday relieved some pressure on Diego Simeone’s new-look squad, and the next test is to see if that solid performance will travel to Mendizorroza. Alavés would like to rebound from Friday’s 4-1 loss at Villarreal and will seek a third straight home win.

Possible XI

Oblak; Arias, Felipe, Hermoso, Lodi; Saúl, Thomas, Koke, Lemar; Costa, Morata.

Predicted scoreline

1-0 Atlético. It’s not hard to imagine — the Rojiblancos will have trouble generating chances if Simeone pairs Costa and Morata as anticipated. Atlético have produced 14 shots on target in the three games the ex-Chelsea forwards have started together. Nine of those shots came in the 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow, and neither forward has scored from open play. Not great, not likely we’re going to see a rousing performance after the promise shown in Saturday’s win.

That said, Atlético have kept five straight clean sheets against Alavés since the Basque side’s promotion, and the hosts’ attack is weaker this season. Asier Garitano’s men average just 43.2 percent possession (last in LaLiga) and 8.5 shots per game (19th in LaLiga). Though the mattress makers may face difficulty navigating their opponent’s industrious midfield, their talent should just about see them through.

Jeremy’s record on the season: 8-5

How to watch

Date: Oct. 29, 2019

Location: Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, Spain

Kickoff time: 7:00 p.m. CET, 6:00 p.m. GMT, 2:00 p.m. EST, 11:00 a.m. PST

Available TV/streaming: Mitele Plus, Movistar LaLiga (Spain), Premier Sports 1 (United Kingdom), beIN Sports (United States), DIRECTV Play Deportes (Argentina), FOX Premium (Brazil), Blue To Go Video Everywhere (Mexico), beIN Sports 2 (France), DAZN (Germany), iQiyi (China)