Girona vs Atletico Madrid predictions: High-flying hosts can start 2024 in style
- Girona have won 14 of their last 17 league matches
- Atletico have lost their last three away games in LaLiga
- Recommended bet: Girona to win
Girona's success was the story of the first half of the 2023-24 LaLiga campaign and they kick off the new year on 45 points from 18 games, level with leaders Real Madrid.
September's 3-0 defeat to Real is the only major blot on Girona's record but they face a tough first fixture of 2024 at home to Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone's men are third in the table, seven points behind their hosts, although most of their best work has been done at home and they are aiming to snap a three-game losing streak on the road.
Team news
David Lopez, Toni Villa and Joel Roca are sidelined for Girona, who also have doubts over the fitness of Ricard Artero, Borja Garcia and Yangel Herrera. Viktor Tsygankov should be fit to start in attack.
Atletico Madrid centre-back Caglar Soyuncu is suspended and Pablo Barrios and Thomas Lemar are injured for the visitors.
Mario Hermoso should return to the back three after serving a ban but Mozambique defender Reinildo Mandava has left for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The stats
Girona have won 14 of their last 17 matches in LaLiga.
Both teams have scored in six of Girona's last seven league games.
Only three of Atletico Madrid's 12 league wins in 2023-24 have come away from home.
Atletico have lost their last three away matches in the Spanish top flight.
Atletico have scored one goal in five away games against top-half teams this season.
Prediction
Girona were denied a ninth win in their last 10 games when they conceded an 88th-minute equaliser at Real Betis just before Christmas.
However, their previous three results in December were a 2-1 home win over Valencia, a 4-2 victory at Barcelona and a 3-0 success against Alaves.
Those eye-catching wins underline their credibility and they can bank another big three points against Atletico Madrid.
The visitors have played some entertaining football this season, with star forwards Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata scoring 20 goals between them.
But there is a major disparity between Atletico's performances at home and away and they arrive at Girona having lost their last three road fixtures at Athletic Bilbao, Barcelona and Las Palmas.
Atletico's last two home results before the Christmas break were a 3-3 draw with Getafe, in which they let slip a 3-1 lead, and an unconvincing 1-0 win over Sevilla.
They had a player sent off in each of those games and any more ill-discipline in their opening assignment of the new year may well be punished by a confident Girona side.
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