Atlético begins La Liga against Málaga

Atlético de Madrid begin the 2026/2027 La Liga season on Wednesday, August 19 at 22:00 (UTC) hosting Málaga at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Diego Simeone's side finished the previous campaign with their lowest points total in 14 years; they collected 4 wins and 6 defeats in their final 10 league matches. Their opponents Málaga are making a return to the top flight after an eight-year absence; they secured promotion to La Liga by beating Almería in the play-off final.

Form guide

Both teams enter 2026/2027 on zero points, so the standings are not yet indicative. However, how the previous season ended offers insight: Atlético lost 6 of their final 10 matches, while Málaga completed their last 9 league matches unbeaten (6 wins, 3 draws). Simeone's opening match record is also noteworthy; in a career spanning 14 full seasons, he has lost the opening game just once.

Head-to-head favors Atlético

In their last 10 La Liga meetings, Atlético have won 7 to Málaga's 1. The Madrid side have won all of their last 5 encounters and are unbeaten in this fixture for 9 games. Their home form is also strong: Atlético have been unbeaten in 44 of their last 50 home matches.

Absences and expected lineup

Atlético are without Alexander Sørloth due to a muscle injury; the striker's xGOT average over his last 10 matches was 0.65, the team's highest, which raises a question mark over the attack. On the positive side, summer signings Alejandro Grimaldo and Kang-in Lee could feature in the starting XI, though uncertainty remains over Julián Álvarez's future. For Málaga, Aaron Ochoa is suspended, while Carlos Dotor, Fernando Calero, Diego Murillo, and Adrián Niño are injured; Chupe is expected to lead the attack.

Data-driven forecast

Both teams historically tend to score most frequently between the 60-75 minute mark. Málaga finishing below 3.5 goals in 50 of their last 59 La Liga matches suggests a low-scoring contest is likely. The hosts' current form advantage and their historical dominance in this fixture make Atlético favorites for this encounter.