Atletico Madrid start their 2026-27 La Liga season at the Metropolitano on August 19 against a Malaga side back in the top flight after years away. Diego Simeone’s squad closed pre-season with a 2-1 win over Marseille five days ago, after back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Manchester United on the English leg of the tour. The home opener against a promoted opponent gives Atletico a chance to set an early tone in a campaign they expect to spend near the top.
Atletico’s pre-season form
Atletico came out of the summer with a 2-2 record across their friendlies: comfortable wins over Getafe (4-1) and Marseille (2-1), defeats to Manchester United and Manchester City. No individual goal or assist tallies from those matches are confirmed in official sources, and the spread of results points to Simeone rotating and testing combinations rather than locking in an XI, which is normal at this stage.
The shape of the attack is the question worth watching. Julian Alvarez has been used as a dynamic second striker or advanced midfielder in this system, pressing high and drifting between the lines, with Alex Baena and Lee Kang-In supplying the creativity around him. Against a side likely to defend deep, how quickly that front unit finds movement in tight spaces will decide whether Atletico open the scoring early or spend an hour circling the box.
The tactical matchup
Malaga’s squad list for this fixture includes Fernando Calero and Diego Murillo as the likely central defensive pairing, with Dani Sanchez and Angel Recio providing cover at the back. None of those names carry Champions League-level experience, and a promoted side playing their first top-flight match in years will face an immediate test of how well coach Juan Funes has prepared them for the intensity Simeone’s press brings.
In terms of defensive exposure, Malaga’s preseason results offer a limited sample: a 2-2 draw with Fulham, a loss to AD Ceuta, and a pair of draws against Al-Ittihad and Leicester. Those results do not point to a backline that has been watertight. Atletico’s history in this fixture is also worth noting: in the last five head-to-head meetings in La Liga, Atletico won four and drew none, conceding just two goals across the five games while keeping three clean sheets against this same opponent. Space behind a high defensive line and early set-piece situations look like Atletico’s quickest routes to goal.
What’s at stake for Atletico
Beyond the three points, the opener carries weight because of how last season ended. Atletico closed their previous La Liga campaign with a 1-5 loss at Villarreal on the final day, a result that framed the whole off-season. A convincing home performance against a promoted side is the cheapest way to put that behind them.
For Malaga, the trip is a measuring stick. Their pre-season offered a 2-2 draw with Fulham, a defeat to AD Ceuta and draws against Al-Ittihad and Leicester, a sample that says little about how the back line will hold up once Simeone’s press arrives at full speed. Coach Juan Funes has had a full summer to prepare for exactly this kind of afternoon.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Atletico are heavy favorites at home and Malaga’s defensive record in preseason offers little reason to expect a tight game at the Metropolitano. Alvarez should find opportunities through the lines, and a goal on opening day feels like a reasonable expectation given the matchup. Atletico to win comfortably, with Alvarez among the scorers.
Atletico Madrid
Malaga
Julián Álvarez