Atlético de Madrid host Girona on Sunday, May 17 at 19:00 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in matchday 37 of LALIGA EA Sports, a game that arrives with the home side short on bodies and the visitors still chasing points. Atlético come in after beating Osasuna 2-0 in the midweek round and then winning 1-2 against Osasuna in matchday 36, while Girona arrive after drawing with Real Sociedad.
Simeone’s team has been hit hard by absences for atlético madrid vs girona. Marcos Llorente was sent off against Osasuna and is suspended, while José María Giménez, Johnny Cardoso, Nahuel Molina, Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo Mendoza are injured. Nicolás González and Julián Álvarez did not train on Saturday and will not make it in time. Giuliano Simeone could get minutes, and Obed Vargas is expected to step into the lineup in place of Llorente. Álex Baena and Antoine Griezmann are also expected to start.
That matters because Griezmann is set for his last home match with Atlético de Madrid, giving the night a weight that goes beyond the table. Atlético no longer have anything at stake in the league, but Girona do. They have two league matches left, and the trip to the Metropolitano comes before a direct meeting with Elche in the final round, leaving them under pressure to leave Madrid with something.
The shape of both teams is still being worked through, and the lineups remain only possible XIs rather than confirmed selections. Atlético’s back line could feature Ruggeri, Hancko, Le Normand and Pubill, with Obed Vargas, Koke and Baena in midfield. Girona may line up with Álex Moreno, Blind, Reis and Arnau in defense, with Beltrán or Iván Martín, Witsel and Ounahi in midfield and Lemar, Roca or Echeverri and Tsygankov up front.
Míchel Sánchez also has his own absences to manage. Cristian Portu, Vladyslav Vanat and Marc-André ter Stegen are injured, Donny van de Beek will not finally arrive, and Cristhian Stuani is expected to start on the bench again even after scoring two late saving goals in his last two matches. Girona have shown they can rescue points late, but Sunday’s test is different: they need a result in a stadium where Atlético, even with so many missing pieces, still have enough quality to shape the outcome.
