FULL TIME
2-2
MATCH PREVIEW & MORE INFO
Villarreal possible starting lineup: Conde; Altimira, Albiol, Kambwala, Cardona; Gueye, Comesana, Baena; Pino, G Moreno, Perez
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup: Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Gimenez, Galan; De Paul, Koke, Llorente; Griezmann, Sorloth, Alvarez
Match Preview
On Monday evening, the Estadio de la Cerámica will witness an exciting La Liga clash as Villarreal hosts Atletico Madrid in the opening week of the 2024-25 season. Villarreal, who finished eighth last season, missed out on European football, while Atletico Madrid secured fourth place, ensuring their participation in the Champions League.
Villarreal's previous campaign in La Liga was underwhelming, as they failed to secure a spot in the top seven for the first time since the 2018-19 season. Aiming to return to European competitions, Villarreal has made six new signings over the summer, including Ayoze Perez and Nicolas Pepe. However, they have also lost key players, with top scorer Alexander Sorloth moving to Atletico and goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen joining Chelsea.
Marcelino's side played only four friendlies in the summer, concluding with a 4-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion. Villarreal struggled against Atletico last season, losing both league encounters, and have only managed one win in their last 12 La Liga matches against the capital club, a 2-0 victory in Madrid in August 2022.
Atletico Madrid, led by Diego Simeone, will be looking to make a strong start to the season as they aim to challenge for the title. Despite finishing fourth last season, they were a distant 19 points behind champions Real Madrid. With solid transfer business, including the signings of Julian Alvarez, Robin Le Normand, and Sorloth, Atletico aims for at least a top-three finish.
Atletico had an impressive pre-season, winning all four of their matches, including a 2-0 victory over Juventus, with Joao Felix and Angel Correa finding the net. Simeone's side has not lost an away game against Villarreal since March 2018, and they will be keen to maintain that record.
Team News
Villarreal will be without Juan Foyth, Alfonso Pedraza, and Denis Suarez due to injuries. New signings Willy Kambwala, Sergi Cardona, Perez, Diego Conde, and Pape Gueye are all expected to feature in the starting lineup. Gerard Moreno is likely to play as the central striker, with Alex Baena and Yeremy Pino supporting him from wide positions.
Atletico Madrid's new signing Julian Alvarez is set to make his debut, possibly partnering with former Villarreal star Sorloth in attack. Sorloth, who scored 26 goals for Villarreal last season, will be eager to impress against his former club. Despite scoring against Juventus in a recent friendly, Joao Felix is expected to leave the club before the transfer window closes and may not be included in the squad. Antoine Griezmann, Koke, Marcos Llorente, and Rodrigo De Paul are all expected to start for Atletico on Monday night.