Atletico Madrid will be aiming to make it 13 wins in a row in all competitions when they take on third-tier outfit Marbella in the last-32 stage of the Copa del Rey on Saturday night.
Diego Simeone's side recorded a standout 2-1 victory over Barcelona in La Liga before the winter break, while Marbella beat Recreativo Huelva 3-1 in their last fixture in the third tier of Spanish football.
Match preview
Marbella have never made it past the last-32 stage of the Copa del Rey, so there is some history on offer for the home side in this contest, and it will be fascinating to see how it unfolds at Dama de Noche.
The Little Whites currently play their league football in the third tier, having secured promotion last term, and they sit up in 12th position in their domestic table, picking up 23 points from their opening 18 matches.
Marbella have beaten Bergantinos and Burgos in this season's Copa del Rey, while they will bring a four-game unbeaten run into this contest, including a 3-1 success over Recreativo Huelva before the winter break.
Ironically, the side's last defeat came against Atletico Madrid's second team at the start of December, but they will now be taking on the stars of the capital giants in the last-32 stage of the Copa del Rey.
Marbella are managed by Fran Beltran, who was previously a youth team coach at Real Madrid, and the 33-year-old will be eyeing a huge victory over the team currently sitting at the top of the La Liga table.
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Atletico are on an incredible winning run, posting 12 straight victories in all competitions, with seven of those coming in the league, including a 2-1 success away to Barcelona last time out.
Simeone's team are at the top of the division, one point clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who will face Valencia on Friday, and the Red and Whites are very much in a title race at this stage of proceedings.
The capital outfit have had to win two matches to reach this stage of the Copa del Rey, beating Vic and Cacereno away from home, and they will once again be on their travels on Saturday night.
Atletico's main focus this term is on La Liga and the Champions League, but they have won the Copa del Rey on 10 occasions, with their last success in the competition coming in 2012-13.
Simeone's side made it to the semi-finals of the 2023-24 Copa del Rey, incredibly losing 4-0 to Athletic Bilbao over two legs, and it would be a surprise if they were not present in the latter stages of this year's competition.
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Team News
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Jose Callejon is the biggest name in the Marbella squad, with the 37-year-old previously representing Real Madrid between 2011 and 2013, scoring 20 goals in 77 appearances for the capital giants.
The forward is Marbella's leading goalscorer this term, finding the back of the net on five occasions in 20 appearances, and he will be the biggest threat to Simeone's side in this Copa del Rey fixture.
Dorian Hanza has also been in strong form, scoring four times in 13 appearances, and he is expected to be joined in the final third of the field by Ernest Ohemeng.
As for Atletico, Jose Gimenez is a doubt due to a muscular problem, but the La Liga leaders are otherwise in excellent shape, with Thomas Lemar available again after a number of injury issues.
Head coach Simeone will ring the changes on Saturday, with perhaps only Javi Galan keeping his spot from the side that started against Barcelona before the winter break.
Alexander Sorloth and Angel Correa could start as the front two, as was the case in the last round of the Copa del Rey, while there should also be spots in the XI for the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta, Robin Le Normand, Koke and Samuel Lino.
Marbella possible starting lineup:
Lejarraga; Acosta, Punal, Diori, Fornes; Olguin, Edwards, Pena; Callejon, Ohemeng, Hanza
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:
Musso; Azpilicueta, Witsel, Le Normand, Galan; Riquelme, De Paul, Koke, Lino; Sorloth, Correa
We say: Marbella 0-2 Atletico Madrid
Marbella will have home advantage and certainly have the players to make this a tricky assignment for Atletico, but even with Simeone making a number of changes, it would be a massive shock if the visitors did not comfortably book their spot in the round of 16.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
