Atletico Madrid head to Espanyol on Saturday afternoon looking to stretch a winning run that has already reached five matches in all competitions. The visit comes with Atletico second in La Liga on 19 points from eight games, while Espanyol sit 12th on eight points from their opening eight league matches.
That is why Espanyol Vs Atlético Madrid stats are drawing attention now: the gap on the table is clear, but this fixture has rarely been straightforward. Espanyol have two wins, two draws and four defeats from their first eight league matches, a split that leaves them in mid-table after a 1-1 draw with Malaga and just one point from their last three outings. Atletico, by contrast, have won their last four league matches against Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Real Madrid and Alaves, and they arrive off a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United on Tuesday night.
The recent head-to-head record is what keeps this from looking like a simple form check. Atletico have won only one of their last six meetings with Espanyol, and four of those six finished level, which explains why the visitors cannot treat this as a routine step toward a sixth straight victory. Espanyol also have a recent reminder of what this game can produce, having beaten Atletico 2-1 in the corresponding fixture last season.
There is a further wrinkle for Espanyol, who are expected to be without Jofre Carreras and Kike Garcia through injury, even as Roberto Fernandez has scored six goals in eight appearances this season and Bryan Zaragoza is set to keep his place in attack. Atletico have no injury concerns, and Koke could return to the squad after missing the match against Manchester United following the death of his mother. That would give Diego Simeone another experienced option for a match that still carries enough history to make the numbers matter.
Atletico will also be managing a busy run, with Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruna and Levante in the league before the end of the month, plus Stuttgart in the Champions League. For now, though, the immediate question is simpler: whether a team in strong form can turn recent control into a result in a fixture that has kept slipping away from it.
