Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal: Perfect Start in La Liga
Atlético Madrid return to the Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday with the early-season wind at their backs and Villarreal in their sights, aiming to turn a strong opening into a statement start in La Liga.
Diego Simeone’s team brushed aside Málaga CF 2-0 on the opening weekend, a performance that looked controlled rather than spectacular, but quietly ruthless. The most telling detail? The goals came from the bench. Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena stepped on, shifted the tempo and finished the job, underlining the depth Simeone has been building.
The clean sheet felt familiar. The organisation, too. Atlético carried their late-season solidity into August, and the Wanda already looks like the fortress it so often becomes when Simeone’s side find rhythm early.
Team news: Álvarez back, Sørloth out
The headline for Atlético is clear: Julián Álvarez is back and ready to start. After an extended post-tournament break, the forward has rejoined full training and is expected to lead the line, giving Simeone a focal point with movement and bite.
The news is less positive around Alexander Sørloth. The main striker remains sidelined with a muscle problem and will not feature. Long-term absentee Thomas Lemar is still out, while new defensive signing Cristian Romero also misses the game through physical issues, delaying his chance to slot into Simeone’s back line.
Even with those absences, the squad looks strong enough for Simeone to lean into competition for places rather than worry about numbers.
Tactical choices and selection battles
Simeone has been leaning towards a 1-4-1-4-1 structure, with Koke dropping in as the deep pivot and reference point in midfield. It gives Atlético a solid base, but the real intrigue lies further ahead, where the coach faces tough calls on the flanks.
Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena did everything a manager could ask of impact substitutes against Málaga CF: they came on, changed the game and scored. Both now apply serious pressure on Carlos Martín and Arnau Ortiz for starting spots.
Simeone must decide whether to reward that sharpness from the bench with starting roles, or keep their energy as a second-half weapon. Either way, the message inside the dressing room is obvious: no place is safe.
Behind them, Jan Oblak anchors a back four likely to feature Marcos Llorente, Dávid Hancko, Robin Le Normand and Álex Grimaldo, with Pablo Barrios offering legs and aggression alongside Koke. Ahead of them, Simeone’s son, Giuliano Simeone, could again operate between the lines, linking midfield to the front.
Predicted Atlético Madrid XI
Oblak; Llorente, Hancko, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Barrios, Koke; Simeone, Kang-in, Baena; Lookman.
It is a lineup built to control, but with enough creativity between the lines to break games open.
Kick-off time and TV details
The match at the Wanda Metropolitano kicks off at 4pm BST on Sunday, 23rd August.
In the UK, Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal will be shown live on Premier Sports 1.
Atlético have the form, the home crowd and their star forward back. Now comes the real question: can they turn a perfect start into an early-season surge that sets the tone for the months ahead?
