Overview
- The season opener is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 19 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano and will be widely available on broadcasters including ESPN+.
- Atlético arrive as favorites after a busy transfer window that added Alejandro Grimaldo, Morten Hjulmand, Lee Kang-in and Cristian Romero to address last season’s inconsistency.
- Julián Álvarez is reported likely to remain with the club but his playing time is uncertain, Alexander Sørloth is a minor doubt, Cristian Romero is not expected to start, and Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena are set for limited minutes after late World Cup returns.
- Málaga return to LaLiga after an eight-year absence following playoff promotion and could be without as many as six players through injury or suspension, leaving striker Carlos Ruiz Rubio (Chupete) as their main attacking hope.
- History and betting markets favor Atlético—they have won the last five meetings with Málaga—and the match will serve as an early barometer of whether the summer signings can stabilize Atlético’s title challenge.