La Liga Preview: Atlético de Madrid’s Reinforced Squad Looks Strong, Girona’s Dark Horse Status Needs Testing

On August 26 at 3:30 AM, the second round of the new La Liga season will see a key match at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, where Atlético de Madrid will host Girona. This is a clash between two teams that finished in the top four last season, with Girona performing impressively and finishing third in La Liga, five points ahead of Atlético, both securing their spots in this season’s Champions League.

Despite suffering ten defeats last season, Atlético de Madrid still managed to secure fourth place with 76 points, eight points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, thus qualifying for the next Champions League. During the summer transfer window, Atlético brought in several powerful players including Julián Álvarez, Conor Gallagher, Robin Le Normand, and Alexander Sørloth, while bidding farewell to João Félix and Álvaro Morata, significantly upgrading their squad.

In the opening match of La Liga, Atlético faced Villarreal twice coming from behind to equalize, eventually settling for a draw. Returning home to face Girona, they are determined to secure a victory to start the season on a winning note. Notably, Atlético’s home record last season was second only to Barcelona’s, while Girona had the third-best away record in La Liga.

Looking back at their clashes last season, Atlético defeated Girona 3-1 at home but lost 3-4 away.

Girona achieved their best-ever performance last season, finishing in the top three of La Liga for the first time and securing a spot in the Champions League. Despite losing key players such as Artem Dovbyk and Alex García, they strengthened their squad by bringing in ten new signings, making them a force to be reckoned with.

In the first round of La Liga, Girona fell behind against Real Betis but fought back to equalize thanks to a goal from Gabriel Misseiui. Upcoming fixtures include matches against Osasuna and Sevilla, followed by a strong showdown against Barcelona on September 15.

For Atlético de Madrid, Marcos Paulo remains sidelined due to injury, but the rest of the team is fully fit. Diego Simeone is expected to make adjustments to the starting lineup, with Rodrigo De Paul and José Giménez likely to start, and new signing Julián Álvarez possibly making his debut, with Gallagher expected to be included in the squad.

On Girona’s side, Yaser Asprilla, who recently joined from Watford, may be on the bench ready to come on. However, Justin García and Ricard Altherr will miss the game due to injuries, and the participation of Valery and Viktor Tsyhankov is uncertain. Bryan Gil, Abel Ruiz, and Cristian Puertolas are expected to form the front three, with Oriol Romeu playing a key role in midfield.

Girona carries higher expectations this season, but facing Atlético away will undoubtedly be a tough challenge. Considering Atlético’s consistently strong home performances, they are expected to win their first victory of the La Liga season.

The predicted starting lineups are as follows:

Atlético de Madrid: Jan Oblak / César Azpilicueta, José Giménez, Robin Le Normand / Marcos Llorente, Rodrigo De Paul, Koke, Flamengo Lino / Antoine Griezmann, Alexander Sørloth, Julián Álvarez

Girona: Sergio Gazzaniga / Alex Martínez, Dani López, Daley Blind, Marc Gutiérrez / Javi Herrera, Oriol Romeu, Samuel Martín / Bryan Gil, Abel Ruiz, Cristian Puertolas

>>> For more predictions and analysis, click >>>