Why Atlético are the favorites in this match
The difference in level. The hosts are regular Champions League participants, while the visitors played in the Segunda Division a year ago and only reached the top flight via the playoffs.
Transfer campaign. Sporting director Mateu Alemany spent an active summer strengthening the squad, most notably signing Alejandro Grimaldo.
Head-to-head record. In their six head-to-head matches, Atlético has five wins and one defeat.
The pitch factor. The Metropolitano stadium holds over 70,000 spectators, and for a league debutant, such conditions on the opening day present an additional challenge.
Atlético Madrid's form and squad
Last season, the Madrid club finished trophyless, and the summer was dominated by two stories: a squad overhaul and the saga surrounding Julián Álvarez, who was persistently linked with a move to Barcelona. The Argentine publicly called the rumors "a snowball of lies," and the club made it clear they valued the forward more highly than they once did Griezmann. During the offseason, Diego Simeone's team played a series of friendly matches, including against both Manchester giants, although both ended in defeats (1-2 and 1-3).
Key stats for Atlético Madrid:
- Atlético Madrid have won three of their last four home matches.
- He has missed five consecutive matches, and in three preseason games, he has conceded six goals.
- New signing Kang-In Lee has yet to adapt and hasn't scored a single point in the preseason.
Expected lineup (4-4-2): Jan Oblak - Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand, David Ganzko, Alejandro Grimaldo - Giovanni Simeone, Koke, Morten Jylmand, Ademola Lookman - Kang-In Lee, Julian Alvarez.
Málaga's Form and Squad
The Andalusians' path to the top flight was a difficult one: fourth place in the Segunda regular season, then the playoffs, where they advanced through the entire draw and defeated Almería in the final. Along with Málaga, Racing and Deportivo La Liga were promoted directly, highlighting how much more difficult the road was for today's visitors. Due to their promotion, special attention was paid to their pre-season matches, but they proved a disaster: one win, three draws, and a defeat. Moreover, their strongest opponent was far from the most formidable Fulham.
Málaga's key figures:
- They are the only one of the three promoted teams to advance through the playoffs.
- They have won 1 of their 6 head-to-head matches with Atlético.
- They have conceded 11 goals in 5 preseason matches.
Probable lineup (4-5-1): Alfonso Herrero - Carlos Puga, Javi Montero, José Salinas, Rafita - Carlos Dotor, Izan Merino, David Larrubia, Daniel Lorenzo, Joaquín Muñoz - Chupe.
