Sevilla's heavily rotated side, missing seven regulars including top scorer Oso, faces an Atletico Madrid line-up also missing six starters but still boasting the stronger individuals. The hosts have begun brightly with two wins, but their makeshift defence is vulnerable against…
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Sign inSevilla host Atlético Madrid on Friday, 29 August 2026, in a La Liga matchday three clash that pits an Atlético side searching for rhythm against a hosts side keen to climb the early table. Diego Simeone’s men arrive with four points from two games but face uncertainty over several key personnel, while Sevilla will look to exploit any fragility at home.
Atlético will again be without striker Alexander Sørloth, who is still recovering from an injury, while the availability of Julián Álvarez remains clouded after his late return from international duty and ongoing transfer speculation. Álvarez was left out of the matchday squad for the opening 2-0 win over Málaga, and Simeone may once more deploy Ademola Lookman as a makeshift centre-forward. The visitors are also forced into a defensive reshuffle: centre-back Robin Le Normand serves a suspension after his red card in the 2-2 draw with Villarreal, meaning a likely partnership of David Hancko and an alternate option at the heart of defence. Pablo Barrios, back to full fitness and impressing with his ball progression, is expected to anchor the midfield, while new signings Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena, who both scored off the bench in that Málaga victory, provide fresh attacking options. Sevilla, by contrast, have reported no significant injury concerns and are likely to field a settled side.
Atlético kicked off their 2026/27 campaign with a 2-0 home success against newly promoted Málaga. Despite a lacklustre first hour, substitutes Lee Kang-in and Álex Baena struck spectacular late goals to secure the points. The second fixture proved far more chaotic: they twice surrendered a lead and were reduced to 10 men when Le Normand was dismissed, yet Giuliano Simeone’s late finish rescued a 2-2 draw with Villarreal. That result underlined both the resilience and the defensive vulnerability of Simeone’s side—Marc Pubill’s curling opener and the subsequent fightback demonstrated attacking capability, but the concession of two penalties highlighted a lack of composure in their own area. With four points from an available six, Atlético remain unbeaten but not entirely convincing, particularly in the final third where a recognised striker is still missing.
The key contest may be how Sevilla’s back line deals with an Atlético forward unit missing its two primary strikers. Lookman, normally a winger, is likely to lead the line again, and while his pace can stretch defences, his hold-up play and finishing as a central striker remain unproven in La Liga. Sevilla’s centre-halves will be asked to manage the creative threats from Barrios’s midfield distribution and the wide threat of full-backs Pubill and Alejandro Grimaldo. For the hosts, the absence of Le Normand offers an opportunity to test Atlético’s reconfigured back four, possibly through quick transitions and set-pieces. Historically, this fixture has often tilted in Sevilla’s favour at home, but without a recognised goalscoring focal point of their own, much will depend on the inventiveness of their attacking midfielders.
Although the season is young, the contest carries early-season significance. Atlético will want to maintain their position among the early frontrunners and prove that the Villarreal wobble was merely a blip. Sevilla, for their part, are looking to build momentum after a mixed start and can send a statement by denying one of the league’s most resilient outfits. With the transfer window still open, Álvarez’s ongoing saga adds a layer of uncertainty to Atlético’s preparations—any slip in performance will only fuel the questions over his future. Following this trip, Simeone’s squad will hope to take the positive elements from their opening two matches and channel them into a more complete performance, while Sevilla will be keen to make their home advantage count before the international pause.
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