- Atletico Madrid have won three and drawn one of their last five La Liga matches, while Girona FC have won only two, drawn one and lost two of their five recent fixtures.
- Atletico Madrid have won two of the last three La Liga fixtures between these sides, including a 3-0 home victory eight months ago.
The contrast of philosophy between these two clubs should make for an interesting clash when Atletico’s rigid, reactive game meets Girona’s proactive, possession-based approach on Sunday. Our Girona FC vs Atletico Madrid preview highlights that Atletico play with a 4-4-2 system, pressing selectively and looking to hit opponents on the break, while Girona are set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation and try to overload the wide areas and press high up the pitch. Michel has been Girona’s manager since July 2021 and his high-tempo, rotation-based system has turned them into one of the most modern sides in La Liga. But Atletico’s manager Oscar Fernandez has also done a fantastic job since taking the reins in July 2021, instilling an incredible structure and resilience upon a squad that has few stars. The Colchoneros have failed to win in their past two away games (one draw and a 2-0 defeat to Osasuna), but they bounced back at home with a 4-1 win over Real Betis. Meanwhile, Girona have won once and lost once in their last two matches at Montilivi, suffering a 0-1 loss to Villarreal. This Girona FC vs Atletico Madrid prediction suggests that both teams will approach the game with their distinct tactical identities, making it an encounter worth watching.
Atletico are clear 2.00 favourites with the bookies for this fixture and that looks about right as they arrive in better form than Girona and are far higher in the table. Turning to the Girona FC vs Atletico Madrid odds, Atletico are third with 73 points from over 37 rounds of fixtures, while the hosts are 15th on 41. However, there are some long odds about the draw at 4.06 and Girona, who are 3.90 to take the win, could easily be involved in a tight match for most of it before the Atleti defence cracks. The Girona FC vs Atletico Madrid prediction for this game is that goals are almost guaranteed when these two meet at Montilivi as the last four La Liga encounters there have averaged 2.0 per game. Atletico are the superior team and have the better away form, so we are taking them to outscore Girona and earn the win in this clash, which should also have some extra spice in it as the visitors are an established powerhouse in the league and the home side are trying to establish themselves as a new threat. For readers interested in wagering, these Girona FC vs Atletico Madrid betting tips indicate that Atletico have conceded only 0.83 goals per game in the top flight while averaging 1.22 goals per game in the same competition, so under 2.5 goals could have a chance to land in what may turn into a battle of patience and cunning between these tactical rivals.
