Atletico Madrid will kick off their 2026-27 La Liga season on Wednesday evening when they welcome newly-promoted Malaga to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

Diego Simeone’s side will be targeting a stronger title challenge after a disappointing fourth-place finish last season, while Malaga return to Spain’s top flight for the first time since 2017-18.

Verdict: Total goals under2.5

Best odds: 113/100

Bookmaker: 22bet

Atletico Madrid

Atletico enter the new campaign eager to put an underwhelming 2025-26 season behind them. The Red and Whites never seriously threatened Barcelona or Real Madrid in the title race and ultimately finished fourth, ending the campaign a significant distance behind the champions.

Despite qualifying comfortably for the Champions League once again, there is a feeling that Simeone’s side need to raise their level if they are to challenge Spain’s elite. Their 11 league defeats last season highlighted a lack of consistency that has rarely been associated with Atletico during the Argentine’s tenure.

The club have responded by strengthening the squad during the summer. Alejandro Grimaldo, Lee Kang-in, Morten Hjulmand and Cristian Romero have all arrived, adding quality and depth across several areas of the pitch.

Pre-season has delivered mixed results. Atletico recorded victories over Getafe and Marseille but were unable to overcome Manchester United and Manchester City, offering useful tests ahead of the new season.

History is also firmly on their side heading into this fixture. Atletico have won each of their last five meetings with Malaga and boast 40 victories from 71 matches against the Andalusian outfit.

Team news

Alexander Sorloth remains a minor doubt after suffering a slight injury, while Cristian Romero is not yet ready to make his debut. There is also uncertainty surrounding Julian Alvarez amid ongoing transfer speculation, having missed the final pre-season fixture against Marseille.

However, Grimaldo and Lee Kang-in are both expected to feature prominently, while Arnau Ortiz’s strong performances during pre-season could earn him a place in the starting lineup.

Malaga

Malaga return to La Liga with renewed optimism after securing promotion through last season’s Segunda Division playoffs. The White and Sky Blues are back among Spain’s elite after an eight-year absence and will be determined to avoid an immediate return to the second tier.

Juan Francisco Funes’s side have approached the summer relatively cautiously. The arrivals of Juan Cruz, Fernando Calero and Jose Salinas have strengthened key positions, while several departures have helped reshape the squad ahead of the challenge of top-flight football.

Preparation for the new season has been mixed. Malaga won only one of their pre-season fixtures but produced a respectable 2-2 draw against Fulham in their final warm-up match.

Their record against Atletico offers little encouragement, however. Malaga have not beaten the Madrid side since 2015 and have not secured an away victory in this fixture for well over a decade.

Team News

Aaron Ochoa is suspended, while Carlos Dotor, Fernando Calero, Diego Murillo and Adrian Niño are all unavailable through injury. Juanpe remains a doubt because of a hamstring issue and faces a late fitness test.

Those absences could force changes throughout the team, although Jose Salinas is expected to make his competitive debut at left-back. Up front, much of Malaga’s attacking hopes will rest on Chupe, who scored 25 goals in all competitions during the promotion-winning campaign.

Key Factors to Consider

• Atletico Madrid have strengthened significantly through the arrivals of Grimaldo, Lee Kang-in, Hjulmand and Romero.
• Malaga return to La Liga for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
• Atletico have won each of the last five meetings between the sides.
• The visitors could be without as many as six players due to injury and suspension concerns.
• Several Atletico players, including Grimaldo and Lee Kang-in, could make their competitive debuts.
• Chupe remains Malaga’s primary attacking threat after scoring 25 goals last season.

Conclusion

Opening fixtures against promoted sides can often prove more difficult than expected, and Malaga should arrive with enthusiasm and confidence after securing their return to the top flight.

However, Atletico appear significantly stronger on paper and have invested heavily in improving a squad that underperformed last season. With home advantage, greater quality throughout the team and a strong recent record in this fixture, one or two goals should be enough for Simeone’s side to begin the new campaign with a victory.

Verdict: Total goals under2.5

Best odds: 113/100

Bookmaker: 22bet