Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will look to build on their opening day win when they host Villarreal in Matchday 2.
Villarreal might have started the new campaign with a draw, but they are expected to rival Atletico Madrid for a UEFA Champions League spot, and this certainly promises to be a high-voltage fixture between two top teams.
The home team, who finished fourth last season, started the new season with an impressive 2-0 win over Malaga, where summer signing Lee Kang-in and Alex Baena both scored blinders. It was a dominant display in every aspect, and Simeone’s men will look to build on it.
The only thing Atletico will look to do differently is to take control of the game as early as possible. However, it won’t be that straightforward, as Villarreal are a much stronger outfit than Malaga and they will be eager for a statement win.
The Yellow Submarine, who finished third last season, did not have the best of starts to the new season. They started the campaign with a 2-2 draw against Racing Santander. While they dominated the ball and created quite a few chances, they were not up to the mark defensively and could not deal with quick counterattacks.
Villarreal have to do much better in transition to stand a chance against Atletico Madrid, who will be flying high after a sensational opening day win. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Alexander Sorloth is the only one out injured for the home team; everyone else is expected to be available for selection. Diego Simeone handed starts to quite a few youngsters in the previous game; while they did a decent job, he is expected to go with a much stronger XI against Villarreal.
He will stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will feature in goal. Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Grimaldo are expected to start this fixture, while Robin Le Normand should continue to pair up with David Hancko in the heart of the defence.
Giuliano Simeone and Rodri Mendoza could feature out wide on the flanks, providing support to the full-backs and width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Koke will partner with Pablo Barrios in the centre of the park. The duo will try to control the tempo of the game.
In the final third, Lee Kang-in should start alongside Ademola Lookman, as Simeone is unlikely to throw Julian Alvarez straight back into the mix.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Le Normand, Hancko, Grimaldo; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Barrios, Rodri Mendoza; Lee Kang-in, Lookman
Villarreal
The visitors will be without the services of Alassane Diatta, who is suspended for this outing. Villarreal are expected to line up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Luiz Junior likely to continue between the sticks.
Santiago Mourino and Carlos Romero should be the full-backs, while Juan Foyth will continue to pair up with Renato Veiga in the heart of the defence. Nicolas Pepe and Alberto Moleiro will feature on the flank in midfield.
They will support the full-backs, as well as provide width to their attacks. Santi Comesana and Pape Gueye should form the central partnership; the duo will look to ensure Atletico Madrid do not enjoy any easy possession in the centre of the park.
Georges Mikautadze should continue to partner Ayoze Perez in the final third, with Gerard Moreno likely to once again make an appearance off the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Junior; Mourino, Foyth, Veiga, Romero; Pepe, Comesana, Gueye, Moleiro; Mikautadze, Perez
Key Stats
- Alex Baena’s free kick in Atletico’s last outing was the first direct free kick scored by a Spanish player for the club since October 2009.
- Atletico Madrid had lost six of their last ten league outings last season.
- In the last meeting between the two teams a few months back, Villarreal smashed Atletico Madrid 5-1.
- In the last 11 games between the two teams, 37 goals have been scored. So, on average, there are 3.4 goals scored every time these two teams have met in the recent past.
- Villarreal’s last away win against Atletico Madrid came back in August 2022.
Player to Watch
Lee Kang-in
The South Korean international, who joined Atletico Madrid in the summer from PSG, has had a dream start to his Atletico Madrid career. He came on as a second-half substitute against Malaga and scored an absolute blinder in the 70th minute to break the deadlock and give his team the lead.
The 25-year-old never had a prominent role at PSG because of the competition, but things will be a lot different at Atletico Madrid, and he has already shown a lot of promise. He is likely to get his first start here and will be looking to build on his performance from matchday 1.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Villarreal
Atletico Madrid will head into this fixture with plenty of confidence after their convincing win over Malaga, and they should have enough quality to trouble Villarreal’s defence. Diego Simeone’s men are also expected to be more aggressive from the outset, especially with a stronger starting XI, while home advantage could give them an additional edge.
Villarreal showed enough attacking threat in their opening game to suggest they can make this a competitive affair, but their defensive issues could once again prove costly. Atletico should be better equipped to deal with their attacking threat and could edge what promises to be an entertaining contest. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
