Hercules have endured some uncertain moments in their opening Primera Division matches, but the Alicante side are presently six points clear of the drop zone and are now looking good to secure another season in the top flight. Their next challenge is a home fixture against a strong Atletico Madrid side.
Los Herculanos will not be fazed by the challenge at hand. A high profile victory over Barcelona might have kick-started their campaign, and though Esteban Vigo’s side initially stumbled in more mundane encounters, recent home form suggests that Jose Rico Perez side are finally ready to win their bread and butter fixtures.
If Hercules have been going well at home, they’ve continued to toil on their travels. Last weekend, Mallorca proved to be much too strong for the southerners, crushing them 3-0, and Vigo has warned that he doesn’t expect a repeat performance.
“I hope Atletico meet the Hercules we all know at the Rico Perez and not the one that met Mallorca,” he grumbled to AS, lamenting the tepid nature of the club’s opening game in 2011.
There has been good news on the playing front, as Royston Drenthe has ended his high-profile strike action, returning to training after eight days away, though he won’t feature on Monday. Nevertheless, los Herculanos will be quietly confident of picking up three more points.
Disrespected
Champions League football remains the ultimate goal for Atletico Madrid this season, but their hopes of playing in Europe’s premier competition next season have been compromised somewhat this weekend by the form of their rivals. Valencia and Espanyol, both sides in the race for third and fourth spot, claimed victories, leaving the capital side with a seven gap river to bridge.
The timing of this fixture is certainly something of an inconvenience to los Colchoneros. On Thursday, they meet Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey, and though the knock-out competition is not normally considered a priority, the fact that they meet their great city rivals has changed their perspective on the competition somewhat.
Coach Quique Sanchez Flores isn’t keen on Monday night football in any case. “I think our fans deserve respect,” he complained to Marca. “To play on Mondays is inconvenient for our fans. The greatness of our team does not deserve to play on that day.”
Consistency has been a huge problem for Atleti this season, with even the ever reliable Diego Forlan struggling to put any strong run of form together. The festive period has brought renewed hope of a push for the top four, with pre-Christmas victories over Deportivo La Coruna and Malaga followed by a slightly disappointing draw at home against Racing Santander to start the fresh year.
The fixture list in January is relatively kind to los Colchoneros, who will want to make their move soon if they are to really push towards the Champions League qualifying spots.
Hercules
Royston Drenthe may have returned to training, but he’s not been selected in the squad named by Esteban Vigo. Captain Paco Pena is back in the squad, as is Tote. Nineteen men have been included in the matchday unit, so one player will be discarded before kick-off.
Atletico
New signing Elias is set to travel to Alicante, though he’s not actually been cleared to play yet. The other big news is the return to action of Diego Forlan, who has been missing since before Christmas with a sprained ankle. A 20-man panel has been declared.
Juanfran is not yet involved for the capital side.
Prediction
With three wins on the spin at home, Hercules should start this match as favourites, but Atletico Madrid should not be considered pushovers, and they will be aiming to go unbeaten for four Primera Division matches for the first time this season. A tight match is in prospect, though with los Colchoneros having one eye on their midweek derby, the balance is in the hosts’ favour.
Hercules 1-1 Atletico Madrid 
