🔈 Can "Los Colchoneros" bounce back from their unexpected setback in the opening round of the championship? This coming Saturday, the "Wanda Metropolitano" will host its first match of the new Spanish season as Atlético Madrid face Elche on their home turf. The "Green-Striped" side remains the only newcomer in the league to have added points to their tally in the previous round. Eder Sarabia's squad is determined to challenge last season's La Liga bronze medalists. Let's take a look at the bookmakers' odds: a win for the hosts is set at 1.25, while a victory for the visitors is at 13.

Head-to-Head

📊 Interestingly, these teams faced each other last season in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, where the "Colchoneros" left no trace of Elche, winning 4-0. Let's highlight the outcomes from their last 10 head-to-head encounters: Atletico claimed 8 victories, there was 1 draw, and Elche managed 1 win. Finally, let's note the average goals scored by each side throughout their history of meetings: the "Indians" averaged 2.15 goals, while the "Green-Stripes" averaged 0.93.

Atletico Madrid Team Overview

🔴 The clash with Espanyol (1-2) last weekend was a wake-up call for the players and coaching staff of the capital club. Diego Simeone's tactical plan for the second half fell apart as the "Parakeets" effectively counter-pressed, forcing their opponents into simple mistakes. Atlético's rather mediocre performance in the holding midfield area often allowed the Catalan side to create dangerous moments out of thin air.

⚪ Interestingly, Atlético had never lost their opening match in La Liga under Diego Simeone's management before. It's worth noting that five new signings started for Atlético in the match against Espanyol, making it clear that discussing complete understanding and cohesion among them is futile at this stage. Nevertheless, Simeone's philosophy is far from straightforward, and the Argentine coach has little time to adjust. Whether we'll see changes in the lineup for the upcoming home game against Elche will be revealed soon.

Elche CF Team Overview

🟢 The Spanish league newcomer truly impressed with their performance last weekend. The "Green-and-Whites" managed to snatch a point from a resilient Real Betis (1-1) on their home turf. Eder Sarabia's men looked organized and disciplined, allowing them to withstand Betis' attacking pressure and, in many ways, turn the game in their favor. Now, the challenge for the team from the eponymous city is to hold their ground against a formidable, albeit inconsistent, Atletico.

⚪ It's worth noting that Elche's head coach is a proponent of pragmatic football, employing a classic 4-4-2 formation. This straightforward and relaxed style allows the team to fully capitalize on their strengths and remain a pesky opponent for many sides. We believe that even against the "Colchoneros," Elche will show their mettle and pose significant challenges for Diego Simeone and his squad.

Latest news

Atletico Madrid

📰 With the transfer window still open, the future of Alexander Sørloth at Atlético Madrid remains uncertain. Tottenham Hotspur have shown concrete interest in the Norwegian forward in recent days. The 29-year-old player himself seems open to a change of scenery and a move to the Premier League. Given Atlético's ambitious signings this summer, Sørloth's prospects in Madrid appear quite unclear.

🎤 Diego Simeone commented on the defeat in the opening round of La Liga: “I think it's a learning experience for me. I won't say everything, but what we saw on the pitch will serve as a lesson. We witnessed how they capitalized on their opportunities: first from a set-piece, then making it 2-1, which was a blow for us and left us without a chance to win or draw. Defending? It's part of the process. The result is disappointing, but it will help us improve and grow. From now on, I'll focus on all the positives. We will work on correcting our mistakes.”

❌ During one of the recent training sessions, Atlético's new signing Álex Baena suffered a muscle injury. His participation in the second round match is now highly doubtful. Meanwhile, José María Giménez is unlikely to assist his team due to a thigh injury sustained during preseason.

Elche CF

🏷 Recently, Elche made another transfer move that is expected to strengthen the team over the course of the season. André Silva, who has been with Leipzig for the past four years, has finally left the German club for a fee of around 1 million euros. The Portuguese forward is likely to become a key player for the "Green and Striped" and will have the opportunity to revive his career following unsuccessful loan spells at Real Sociedad and Werder Bremen.

📰 Another significant piece of news in recent days is the extension of Rodrigo Mendoza's contract until the end of the 2027/28 season. The 20-year-old Spaniard is one of the main assets for the "Green and Striped" and possesses great potential. For the third consecutive season, the midfielder has been an integral part of Elche.

❌ Currently, in the club's injury list from the city of the same name are Adam Boyar and Iago Santiago. Additionally, due to a muscle injury, the participation of 35-year-old forward Josan in the upcoming match remains uncertain. 

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

In head-to-head matchups, Elche have the edge with an average of 2.5 yellow cards compared to 1.8. It's clear that emotions will run high at the Wanda Metropolitano, and the visitors will need to seize the initiative at some point. We believe this will lead to a significant number of fouls and, consequently, warnings. Our editorial choice is Elche to win the yellow card battle.

⚽ Goal Prediction

In 5 of the last 6 head-to-head encounters, no more than 2 goals were scored. Notably, a similar trend is evident in 4 of the last 5 matches involving the "Green Stripes." The pragmatism of Diego Simeone and Eder Sarabia is likely to be on display again this Saturday, especially considering the "Colchoneros'" poor start in the new La Liga season. We suggest betting on the following outcome – total goals under 3.

🚩 Corner Prediction

It's worth noting that in the opening round match, both clubs earned a minimal number of corners: Atletico – 3, Elche – 1. The average number of corners recorded in their head-to-head meetings is approximately 9.6. Finally, in 6 of the last 7 personal encounters, there were a maximum of 10 corner kicks. Our editorial pick is total corners under 9.5.

Our editorial team anticipates a rather sluggish game, particularly in the first half. Both clubs are unlikely to take risks with the result, and Elche will likely set up in their preferred 4-4-2 formation, aiming to exploit the weaknesses in Atlético's defense—breaking down a tight back line. The head-to-head stats also suggest that a high-scoring encounter is improbable. We predict a final score of 2-0, with the key bet being total goals under 3.