Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Atletico Madrid volition beryllium aiming to marque it successive wins astatine the commencement of the 2026-27 La Liga run erstwhile they invited Villarreal to the Spanish superior connected Sunday afternoon.

Diego Simeone's broadside opened their caller play with a 2-0 occurrence implicit Malaga past clip out, portion Villarreal drew 2-2 with Racing Santander successful their archetypal crippled of the campaign.

Match preview

Atletico were not astatine their champion against Malaga past clip out, but precocious goals from Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena allowed Simeone's broadside to unfastened their caller La Liga run with a 2-0 success.

The Red and Whites finished 4th successful Spain's apical formation past season, 3 points down third-placed Villarreal, portion they were 25 points disconnected the champions Barcelona.

There is plentifulness of country for betterment this season, but Atletico are presently battling to support clasp of prima subordinate Julian Alvarez, who expressed a tendency to permission earlier this summer; Barcelona privation the Argentine, but Simeone's broadside proceed to importune that helium is not for sale.

Atletico person managed to marque 4 signings this summer, bringing successful Cristian Romero, Morten Hjulmand, Kang-in and Alejandro Grimaldo.

The Red and Whites person lone really won 17 of their erstwhile 50 matches against Villarreal successful each competitions, and it was 5-1 to the Yellow Submarine successful their past gathering successful May 2026.

That said, Atletico did tally retired 2-0 winners successful the reverse crippled connected location soil, and Villarreal volition surely not beryllium underestimating their opponents successful this contest.

Villarreal drew 2-2 with Racing Santander successful their opening lucifer of the caller season, with the Yellow Submarine really needing to travel from 2 goals down to assertion a point.

Now nether the absorption of Inigo Perez, Villarreal volition play successful the league signifier of this season's Champions League courtesy of their third-placed decorativeness successful the 2025-26 La Liga table.

Perez's squad person lone really made 1 signing this summer, bringing successful Peter Gulacsi from RB Leipzig, but they are expected to beryllium engaged earlier the marketplace closes.

Villarreal person a caller distant occurrence implicit Atletico to their name, winning 2-0 successful the Spanish superior successful August 2022.

Atletico Madrid La Liga form:

Villarreal La Liga form:

Team News

Atletico could beryllium without the services of Alexander Sorloth owed to a muscular problem, but Thomas Lemar and Romero whitethorn beryllium named successful the squad.

Alvarez continues to beryllium linked with a determination distant from Atletico, but the striker is acceptable to beryllium successful the squad connected Sunday, astir apt connected the bench.

Alex Baena, Grimaldo and Marcos Llorente could each perchance beryllium introduced into the broadside pursuing the Malaga clash, portion Giuliano Simeone is besides a campaigner to diagnostic from the commencement aft an quality disconnected the seat past clip out.

As for Villarreal, Alassane Diatta is suspended, but the Yellow Submarine are different successful beardown signifier for the clash with Simeone's side.

Gerard Moreno could beryllium introduced into the starting broadside pursuing the crippled with Racing Santander, with Ayoze Perez perchance being the subordinate to driblet out.

There is acceptable to beryllium a spot done the mediate for Georges Mikautadze, portion Nicolas Pepe volition commencement disconnected the backmost of his extremity successful the team's opening lucifer of the caller campaign.

Atletico Madrid imaginable starting lineup:

Oblak; Llorente, Hancko, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Barrios, Koke; Simeone, Kang-in, Baena; Lookman

Villarreal imaginable starting lineup:

Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Romero; Comesana, Gueye; Pepe, Moreno, Moleiro; Mikautadze

We say: Atletico Madrid 2-1 Villarreal

Atletico are presently abbreviated astatine centre-forward owed to Alvarez's situation, and Villarreal are susceptible of picking up a affirmative effect here, but we conscionable fancy Simeone's broadside to shadiness a adjacent contest.

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