Sevilla will be eyeing a third straight win to kick-start the 2026/27 season when they host Atletico Madrid on Saturday night.
Both Sevilla and Atletico Madrid have made an unbeaten start to the new campaign, and they will be hoping to keep that record intact when they square up against each other on Saturday.
The home team are second on the table with two wins in as many games. The Andalusian outfit started the campaign with a promising 2-1 win over Rayo Vallecano despite going down to ten men. They managed to build on it and secured a dominating 3-1 win over Athletic Club.
With Athletic going down to ten men in the 11th minute, Sevilla took control of proceedings and put three past them. While Los Nervionenses ended up conceding a goal late in the game and saw very little of the ball, they did get the job done. The home team will hope for a similar result when they host title contenders Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, the visitors are currently fifth on the table with 4 points in their first two games. They started the campaign with a solid 2-0 win over Malaga. However, they had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Villarreal.
They gave away two penalties, and the red card to Robin Le Normand certainly didn’t help their cause. Atletico will hope for a much improved defensive display as they look to get back to winning ways. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Sevilla
Alfon Gonzalez remains on the sidelines for the home team with a muscle injury, but they do have a boost, as Kike Salas is back available after serving a suspension last time out.
Sevilla should line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Odysseas Vlachodimos likely to continue between the sticks. Juan Iglesias and Gabriel Suazo will feature as the full-backs, while Kike Salas should return to the XI to pair up with Arouna Sangante in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Jon Guridi will start alongside Lucien Agoume as the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and ensure the Atletico Madrid midfielders do not run the show.
Miguel Sierra and Oso should feature on the flanks, while Peque Fernandez will take up the attacking midfielder’s role. Finally, Robbie Ure could spearhead the Sevilla attack against Atletico Madrid this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vlachodimos; Iglesias, Salas, Sangante, Suazo; Guridi, Agoume; Sierra, Peque, Oso; Ure
Atletico Madrid
Alexander Sorloth remains on the sidelines, while Robin Le Normand is suspended following a red card in their last outing. Meanwhile, Julian Alvarez’s participation in this fixture is doubtful amid widespread speculation around his future.
Diego Simeone will stick with his 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will continue in goal. Marcos Llorente and Alejandro Grimaldo should feature as the full-backs, with Marc Pubill moving into the heart of the defence to partner David Hancko with Le Normand suspended.
As for the midfield unit, Giuliano Simeone and Alex Baena could feature on the flanks, while Morten Hjulmand could partner Pablo Barrios in a more central role. The four will shield the backline and try to ensure that they dominate the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in should continue to partner Ademola Lookman in the final third. The duo will look to ensure they make the most of all the chances that come their way.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Grimaldo; Simeone, Hjulmand, Barrios, Baena; Lee Kang-in, Lookman
Key Stats
- In the last 24 meetings between the two teams, there has not been a single 0-0 draw.
- Atletico Madrid have a very superior head-to-head record against Sevilla, as they have won 17 out of the 38 meetings, while Sevilla have only eight wins.
- However, in the last meeting between the two teams, Sevilla secured a 2-1 win at home.
- Sevilla have won two out of their last seven games against Atletico (5 wins).
- Atletico Madrid have lost two of their last three away games at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Player to Watch
Giuliano Simeone
The 23-year-old might not be one of the stars at Atletico Madrid, but he is certainly a very important part of their first-team setup. Not only does he put in an incredible shift day in and day out, but he is also a great attacking threat from the right.
Last season, he had as many as 15 goal contributions. While Los Rojiblancos failed to secure a win in their last outing, Simeone stood out with his performance, as he finished with a goal and an assist. He will look to add to his tally when he takes the field against Sevilla.
Prediction
Sevilla 2-2 Atletico Madrid
Sevilla have made an excellent start to the new campaign and will head into this fixture with plenty of confidence after back-to-back wins. Playing at home should give them another boost, but Atletico Madrid will be determined to bounce back after dropping points against Villarreal.
The visitors have enough quality to cause problems, but their defensive issues could once again cost them. Sevilla should be able to find the back of the net, while Atletico’s attacking threat makes it difficult to see them leaving empty-handed. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw in this fixture.