Osasuna vs Atletico de Madrid preview - Atletico aim to continue progress

Atletico Madrid will look to continue their impressive start under new coach Diego Simeone on Monday night when they take on Osasuna at the Reyno de Navarra.

Atletico have picked up seven points from Simeone's first three games in charge, including impressive back-to-back victories over Real Sociedad and Villarreal in their last two outings in which they outscored their opponents 7-0 in total.

That has helped lift the Rojiblancos up to eighth spot, a point behind seventh-placed Osasuna, and they will be hoping for more of the same from their trip to Pamplona.

Atletico winger Juanfran Torres, the former Osasuna player, said: "Winning at the Reyno de Navarra is very difficult, but if we do things well and we work as a team I'm sure we are going to get the three points.

"It would be an important win, because it would move us further up the table, would give us more confidence and mean the fans are going to continue giving 100% for the team, they are going to be happy.

"With all that in mind, we have to go there looking for the win and nothing else."

Atletico will be without their hat-trick hero from last year's 3-2 win at Osasuna as Diego Costa recently joined Rayo Vallecano on loan, while midfielders Gabi and Diego are suspended and Antonio Lopez is injured.

While Atletico have enjoyed a fine start to 2012, Osasuna have struggled to replicate their impressive form from the end of last year which helped them close 2011 in fifth spot.

Since the turn of the year Osasuna have lost three of their five league and cup matches, while drawing the other two.

To compound the club's frustrations, the last three of those matches have been at home and coach Jose Luis Mendilibar is hoping for better on Monday.

"It's difficult to play so many successive games at home. It's not easy, especially when you lose the first two. The third was a draw, so now we need to win," he said.

"Atletico are doing well. With the change of coach they are all happy, it seems everything is going well and the results are good. They will be coming here with the idea of continuing their good form, competing hard and winning. We will be facing a team who are feeling good, but we are also doing well."

Mendilibar is without Masoud Shojaei, Ion Echaide, Kike Sola, Roversio and Ibrahima Balde through injury.