The 2025/26 La Liga season continues with Espanyol welcoming Atlético Madrid to the RCDE Stadium on Sunday, August 17. The Catalan facet earned promotion again to the highest flight simply final season and will likely be hoping to construct on a hard-fought 14th-place end, whereas Diego Simeone’s Atlético arrive with ambitions of pushing Barcelona and Actual Madrid all the best way within the title race.
These two groups final met on March 29, 2025, sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw. César Azpilicueta’s first-half strike gave Atlético the lead earlier than Javi Puado equalised for Espanyol from the penalty spot. Traditionally, Atleti have loved the higher hand with 19 wins from 42 conferences, whereas Espanyol have claimed 12 victories, with the rest ending in attracts.
Espanyol endured a nervy return to La Liga final season, ending simply two factors above the drop zone. Supervisor Manolo González has appeared to strengthen his squad within the switch window, relying closely on free-agent acquisitions.
Softfootball understands the Parakeets haven’t gained any of their final seven La Liga openers, although they are going to take confidence from irritating Atlético in recent times. Every of the final 4 conferences between the edges has ended degree.
Atlético, in the meantime, stays probably the most constant golf equipment in Spain, with 13 straight top-four finishes below Simeone. Nonetheless, the Argentine coach, now getting into his fifteenth consecutive season in cost, faces rising stress to shut the 12-point hole that separated his facet from champions Barcelona final time period. Over £100m has been spent on reinforcements, together with the arrival of Italy ahead Giacomo Raspadori from Napoli, who may make his debut within the recreation.
Each groups have posted their official beginning line-up for the sport. Atletico will likely be lining up in a 4-4-2 setup, they usually posted on their official X account:
Espanyol have scored their final 4 league targets after the hour mark, whereas Atleti’s final seven of eight targets have come within the second half. Atlético are unbeaten of their final eight league video games towards Espanyol (W3, D5), although Espanyol’s final six La Liga wins have all include clear sheets.
Espanyol official beginning XI:
Roberto Fernández, who joined Espanyol completely from Braga after a profitable mortgage, will likely be tasked with main the assault, whereas Atleti will miss José María Giménez by means of damage.
With Espanyol decided to show they belong and Atlético trying to make an announcement, Sunday’s conflict could possibly be one other cagey affair between two golf equipment with very completely different ambitions.
