Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal: Team News and Likely XIs
Sunday, 23rd August
Kick-off: 4pm BST
Venue: Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid
Atletico Madrid: Álvarez back, Sørloth out
Diego Simeone walks into this one juggling problems and possibilities.
The headline is clear enough: Julián Álvarez is back. The star forward has completed his extended post-tournament break, returned to full training and is ready to lead the line. For a side built on intensity and vertical attacks, that changes the entire feel of Atlético’s front end.
The bad news bites just as hard. Alexander Sørloth is completely ruled out with a persistent muscle injury, robbing Simeone of his premier striker and a very different profile of centre-forward. Long-term absentee Thomas Lemar remains sidelined, and new defensive signing Cristian Romero is also out with physical issues, trimming options at the back.
Simeone is leaning towards a fluid 1-4-1-4-1, with Koke anchoring in front of the defence. Around him, the choices get complicated. Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena both exploded off the bench in the 2-0 opening win over Málaga CF, each scoring to kill the game and send a message. They are now aggressively pushing to dislodge Carlos Martín and Arnau Ortiz from the starting XI.
It leaves Simeone with exactly the kind of selection headache he enjoys: trusted starters or the hot hands who just swung a match in his favour?
Villarreal: Pérez brings power and clarity
On the other side, Íñigo Pérez arrives in Madrid with something Simeone would love right now – a near full-strength squad and a clear tactical plan.
Villarreal’s big boost comes at the back. Juan Foyth has fully recovered from a long-term Achilles injury and has already come through the first league match, restoring reliability to the defensive line. Ahead of him, key forward Gerard Moreno and central midfielder Santi Comesaña have shaken off minor knocks and are training without restrictions.
Pérez is expected to stick to a classic 1-4-4-2. Soak up pressure, then spring forward. It is simple on paper, brutal when executed well.
The real debate for Villarreal lies in the heart of midfield. Youngster Carlos Maciá has impressed heavily in recent sessions, pushing hard for a starting role. The battle is tight between him and the more experienced Comesaña to see who partners Pape Gueye in the central pivot. Out wide, Nicolas Pépé and Alberto Moleiro offer pace and direct threat, perfect outlets for that counter-attacking blueprint.
Form guide: Atletico sharp, Villarreal stubborn
Atlético Madrid come into this with momentum and a clean, early-season edge. Simeone’s side opened their domestic campaign with a controlled 2-0 home win over Málaga CF, a match that underlined their depth as much as their structure. The starters laid the platform, the bench finished the job, with Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena stepping on to provide the goals.
The performance echoed the strong home form that closed out last season. Discipline, compactness, and a clear desire to rack up consecutive clean sheets in Madrid.
Villarreal’s route into this fixture has been more chaotic, but no less revealing. Under new manager Íñigo Pérez, the Yellow Submarine started with a wild 2-2 draw away at Racing Santander, clawing back from two goals down to snatch a point. The comeback spoke of resilience and attacking variety. The two conceded underlined the defensive issues that still stalk this team.
They arrive dangerous, but not watertight.
Predicted lineups
- Atletico Madrid (1-4-1-4-1)
Oblak; Llorente, Hancko, Le Normand, Grimaldo; Barrios, Koke; Simeone, Kang-in, Baena; Lookman - Villarreal (1-4-4-2)
Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Romero; Comesana, Gueye; Pepe, Moreno, Moleiro; Mikautadze
How to watch
In the UK, Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal will be shown live on Premier Sports 1.
With Álvarez back, Villarreal’s spine reinforced and both sides already showing their early-season identities, this feels less like a routine August fixture and more like an early test of who can set the tone for their campaign in Madrid.
