Atletico Madrid vs Malaga Lineups August 2026
Atletico Madrid vs Malaga Lineups August 2026 – Atletico Madrid will begin their 2026-27 LaLiga campaign by facing Malaga.
The match marks the beginning of a new journey for both teams with different objectives, as Atletico Madrid aim to improve upon their position from last season, while Malaga will return to the top flight following promotion.
The match is scheduled to take place at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 21:00 local time.
Diego Simeone’s side finished fourth in La Liga last season, leaving them with considerable room for improvement in the 2026-27 campaign. Meanwhile, Malaga secured their return to the top flight through last season’s Segunda Division playoffs.
Now, before the match begins, let us take a look at Mansion Sports’ predicted Atletico Madrid vs Malaga lineups for August 2026 below!
Both Teams’ Conditions Ahead of the Match
Atletico Madrid
Atletico were unable to compete for the La Liga title last season and had to settle for fourth place in the standings, approximately 25 points behind champions Barcelona.
It will be difficult for Simeone’s side to compete for the title in the 2026-27 season given the strength of Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, Los Rojiblancos still have considerable room for improvement after suffering 11 defeats in Spain’s top flight last season.
Atletico have made four signings this summer, strengthening their squad with the arrivals of Alejandro Grimaldo, Lee Kang-in, Morten Hjulmand, and Cristian Romero.
Los Rojiblancos played four preseason matches, defeating Getafe and Marseille while suffering two defeats against Premier League clubs Manchester United and Manchester City.
Atletico have won 40 of their previous 71 matches against Malaga in all competitions, including their last five meetings in succession. During that period, they have suffered only 12 defeats.
Malaga
Malaga’s most recent victory over Atletico came in a 1-0 home win in December 2015. Meanwhile, they have been unable to defeat Los Rojiblancos away from home since May 2011.
Los Blanquiazules successfully came through the 2025-26 Segunda Division playoffs to secure their return to the top flight. They will compete at this level for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
Juan Francisco Funes’ side have made only three signings this summer, bringing in Juan Cruz, Fernando Calero, and Jose Salinas.
Meanwhile, six first-team players have left the club, including Darko Brasanac.
Los Blanquiazules managed to win only one match during preseason. They will enter this match after drawing 2-2 against Premier League club Fulham.
Atletico Madrid vs Malaga Lineups August 2026
Atletico Madrid (3-4-1-2)
Regarding Atletico’s squad condition, they still need to conduct a final fitness assessment on Alexander Sorloth. The forward suffered a minor injury last week, but the hosts are generally in relatively good condition.
Julian Alvarez did not feature against Marseille in the final match amid speculation surrounding his future. It remains to be seen whether the forward will return to the squad for this match.
There could be debuts for two summer signings, Grimaldo and Kang-in. Meanwhile, Arnau Ortiz’s impressive preseason performances could earn the 24-year-old a place in the starting XI.
However, the match has come too soon for Romero, meaning he will not yet be able to feature.
Malaga (4-5-1)
Meanwhile, regarding Malaga’s squad condition, Aaron Ochoa will be unavailable due to suspension. Carlos Dotor, Calero, Diego Murillo, and Adrian Nino are also still recovering from injuries.
The visitors must also conduct a final assessment of Juanpe, who is dealing with a hamstring problem. As a result, six players could potentially miss the match against Atletico.
Jose Salinas is expected to make his debut at left-back. Meanwhile, Chupe, who scored 25 goals in all competitions during the 2025-26 season, will lead the attack.
This match represents an opportunity for Atletico Madrid to begin the new season with a positive result in front of their home supporters.
With Simeone’s experience and several new signings, Los Rojiblancos will certainly want to demonstrate that they are ready to improve upon last season’s performance.
On the other hand, Malaga will arrive with strong motivation after returning to Spain’s top flight.
Although the head-to-head record favors Atletico, Malaga will certainly be determined to produce a surprise in this opening match. The lineups selected by both managers will also be one of the important factors in determining the outcome of the match.