Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will be looking to bounce back after a shocking defeat in Matchday 1 when they host newly promoted Elche.
Elche secured a hard-fought draw on their return to the top flight and are now gearing up to face Atletico Madrid away from home. With Diego Simeone’s men eager to claim their first win, the visitors could feel the full force of the Spanish giants.
After a disappointing 2024/25 season, the hosts made significant changes to their squad and were hoping to kick-start the new campaign with a win over Espanyol. Julian Alvarez gave them the lead in the first half, and they were in full control until the last 20 minutes, when Espanyol completed an incredible comeback to snatch all three points.
Following that shock defeat on Matchday 1, Atletico Madrid will be desperate to get back on track against Elche. The newly promoted side made a promising start, but Simeone’s men remain overwhelming favourites for this fixture.
Elche had an impressive 2024/25 campaign, finishing second in the table to secure promotion to the top flight. They faced Real Betis on Matchday 1 and, despite not being given much of a chance, managed to secure a valuable point.
They dominated possession, and a late strike from German Valera earned them a 1-1 draw. Elche will be confident of putting in another strong performance against Atletico Madrid. While they will be keen to cause an upset, it will be far from straightforward. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and predicts the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone will be without the services of Alex Baena for a while because of a muscular problem that he picked up in the season opener against Espanyol. Jose Gimenez’s availability is still a doubt, but apart from that, everyone else is expected to be available for selection.
Simeone will stick to his preferred 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri are expected to be the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand should partner with David Hancko in the heart of the defence.
Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios will feature as the two central midfielders, while Giuliano Simeone and Thiago Almada will feature out wide on the flanks. The quartet will not only shield the backline but also look to control the tempo of the game. In the final third, Alexander Sorloth could get the opportunity to start alongside Julian Alvarez.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Cardoso, Barrios, Almada; Alvarez, Sorloth
Elche
The visitors will be without the services of Yago Santiago and Adam El Mokhtari. Meanwhile, Josan is a major doubt for this fixture.
Elche will go ahead with the 4-5-1 formation, where Matias Dituro will take charge in goal. Alvaro Nunez and Leo Petrot are expected to be the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, David Affengruber should partner with Pedro Bigas.
German Valera and Rodri Mendoza will feature out wide on the flanks. While their priority will be to provide width to their attack, they will also look to help out the full-backs when needed.
Aleix Febas, Marc Aguado, and Martim Neto will feature in a more central role in midfield. The trio will look to ensure the Atletico Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings. Alvaro Rodriguez will lead the line for Elche against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Dituro; Nunez, Affengruber, Bigas, Petrot; Valera, Febas, Aguado, Neto, Mendoza; Rodriguez
Key Stats
- The two teams met in the Copa del Rey last season, with Atletico Madrid recording a 4-0 win.
- Elche are back in the top flight after two years away.
- The visitors have only won 12 out of their last 57 matches against Atletico across competitions.
- Elche last won against Atletico back in May 2023 in La Liga.
- Atletico Madrid have won four out of their last five meetings against Elche.
Player to Watch
Alexander Sorloth
Sorloth did not have a prominent role under Diego Simeone in his debut campaign at Atletico Madrid, but he still finished with 24 goals and two assists in his 53 outings. The Norwegian striker was on the pitch for just over 2,300 minutes, but he made the most out of every opportunity he had.
The 29-year-old only got eight minutes to make an impact in the first fixture of the season. While he could not deliver against Espanyol, he will surely make it count if he gets the opportunity to start against Elche. His strong physical presence and his ability to link with Alvarez could cause serious problems for the visitors.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Elche
Atletico Madrid will head into this fixture desperate to put things right after their collapse against Espanyol, and with the Metropolitano crowd behind them, Diego Simeone’s men are expected to come out firing. The hosts have the quality and depth to dominate proceedings, and with Julian Alvarez already off the mark, his partnership with Alexander Sorloth could provide the cutting edge they lacked on the opening weekend.
Elche, meanwhile, showed plenty of fight against Real Betis and will be confident of troubling Atletico if given the chance. German Valera’s pace on the counter could be a weapon, but with Simeone’s side eager to stamp their authority early, the visitors may find themselves under sustained pressure. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the home team.
