Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal Prediction & Picks - LaLiga

Atlético will be reliant upon leadership from their top scoring threats. Veteran forward Antoine Griezmann remains the prolific creator of the team, and despite not scoring yet this season, his ingenuity and work ethic have been responsible for creating scoring chances.

Alongside him, the newly signed Julián Álvarez showed flashes of class since his signing, like scoring on his debut game. Atlético need both to reach top gear and inject an underperforming offense thus far.

Villarreal's hero thus far has been winger Tajon Buchanan of Canada. The winger is the joint-leading scorer in the division early on after he scored a hat-trick for Villarreal in their emphatic victory, and his speed and straight-line running on the left flank have been giving the defense nightmares.

Another mainstay is teen winger Yeremy Pino, who has been providing creativity and assists on the wings. With red-hot Buchanan and other players like Pino to accompany him, Villarreal's front line has been firing on all cylinders throughout.

The form will lead Villarreal to believe they can steal an away game in Madrid, but Atlético can be gritty and make the big match an opportunity for them to turn the ship around. Atlético's backline will need to lift a lot to cancel out Villarreal's formidable strike force. Simeone's men can eke out a win if they regain their signature shape and bite.

However, based on the recent momentum, Villarreal have a slight edge. A draw is certainly on the horizon – it would reflect the upward curve of Atlético and the firepower of Villarreal – but it wouldn't be a great shock if Villarreal form and attacking ability just edge them over the top for a narrow victory. Overall, the edge is with Villarreal based on their lethal form and red-hot front line, and Atlético will want to make amends for their early campaign disappointment. Our prediction for Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal: Over 2.5 goals.