COPA DRESS REHERSAL: Lookman’s Atletico host Sociedad in La Liga showdown

Ademola Lookman’s Atletico lost 3-0 to Barcelona in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday evening, but they still managed to advance to the final of the competition, with a 4-0 victory in the first leg in Madrid proving to be enough to win narrowly on aggregate.

Simeone’s team are fighting on three fronts in the latter stages of the season, with the capital outfit still active in the Champions League, preparing to take on struggling Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur over two legs of their last-16 tie.

Atletico have won their last two in La Liga against Espanyol and Real Oviedo, and they sit third in the La Liga table, level on points with fourth-placed Villarreal.

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The Red and Whites are eight points ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis, meanwhile, so they are in an excellent position to secure more Champions League football for next season.

Atletico have once again been strong at home during the current campaign, picking up 34 points from 13 matches, which is the second-best record in the division behind Barcelona.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday night to advance to the final courtesy of a 2-0 aggregate success.

As a result, it will be Real Sociedad against Atletico in the Copa del Rey final on April 18, so there will be a very interesting undercurrent during today’s La Liga affair.

La Real have ambitions of securing a top-six finish in La Liga this season – they are currently in eighth spot in the table, five points behind sixth-placed Celta Vigo.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side beat Mallorca 1-0 in their last league fixture on February 28 and will now be aiming to secure a huge three points away to Atletico.

Real Sociedad held Atletico to a 1-1 draw in the reverse match earlier this season, but they have not actually managed to beat the capital giants since January 2022.

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