Atlético de Madrid has already announced its squad for the match that opens the LaLiga day against Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium. Coach Diego Simeone, who has a slightly altered team of players after the match against Manchester United, has decided to largely rotate his lineup to face the double challenge that awaits him: the league and the group stage of the Champions League, where the team will visit Stuttgart on Tuesday.
Several regular starters are missing from the squad list. Koke remains out with a muscle injury, while Cardoso is unwell. In addition, Julián Álvarez, Llorente, Grimaldo and Baena do not appear in the starting eleven. For his part, youth player Dani Martínez joins the team, and the center of midfield will have Pablo Barrios, who will share the position with Hjulmand. The defense is made up of Oblak, Pubill, Cuti Romero, Hancko and Martínez himself, while the attack is supported by Giuliano, Barrios, Hjulmand, Kang-In Lee, Lookman and Jonathan David.
The mattress bench is filled with figures who can enter at any moment. Among them are Julián, Sorloth, Baena and Llorente, who will be available to substitute according to the needs of the match. Simeone's strategy appears to focus on keeping key players fresh and giving opportunities to the club's youngsters.
Espanyol, led by Manolo González, has also presented its lineup. The team has Fortuño in goal and a defense made up of El Hilali, Riedel, Cabrera and Hinojo. In midfield are Edu Expósito, Pol Lozano, Drkusic, Javi Hernández and Bryan Zaragoza, while striker Roberto remains on the bench. The RCD team is preparing for a duel that, according to the coach's comments, will be decisive in setting the tone for the season.
With the confirmation of the eleven, fans can expect a match with several tactical surprises. Atlético, with its rotation plan, will seek to consolidate its position in the table and remain competitive in the Champions League. Espanyol, for its part, will try to take advantage of the opportunity to earn its first point at home and demonstrate its ability to compete against the league's big teams. The result of the match will define the course of both teams in the initial phase of the competition.