Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann in training. (Photo : Getty Images)
Perennial powerhouse team Atletico Madrid will take on newly-promoted side Deportivo Alaves at the Vicente Calderón Stadium on August 21, Sunday as the 2016-2017 La Liga season's opening week moves forward.
Los Colchoneros finished last season at the third spot behind super teams FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. All three La Liga squads have directly qualified to the Champions League group stage this term after closing the 2015-2016 season in the top three.
Head coach Diego Simeone will still be the team's taskmaster as he comes back for his sixth season with Atleti.
The Argentine manager made sure that his side became stronger this summer as he signed forwards Kévin Gameiro, Bernard Mensah, and Hector Hernandez from Sevilla, Getafe, and Elche while also acquiring midfielders Nico Gaitan and Diogo Jota from Benfica and Pacos de Ferreira.
His defense and backfield have also improved with the addition of goalkeeper Andre Moreira from União da Madeira and defenders Javier Manquillo, Emiliano Velázquez, and Sime Vrsaljko from Marseille, Getafe, and Sassuolo respectively.
Atleti's preseason is much less to be desired as they won three out of five friendlies with the most recent one ending in a 1-1 (2-3 on penalties) loss to Segunda Division club Cadiz CF at the Estadio Ramón de Carranza last Friday, SBS reported.
Meanwhile, Alaves won the Segunda Division title last term to earn the promotion to the Spanish top flight this season.
The Babazorros won its first four preseason friendlies before losing their final two as they enter first division competitions this week against a very tough and experienced squad in Atleti.
Their most recent preseason match was also a 1-1 (2-3 on penalties) defeat, but their opponents were Segunda Division side Real Valladolid in a match held at the Estadio Municipal José Zorrilla last Saturday, via Soccerway.
The team will be coached newly-appointed manager Mauricio Pellegrino this coming season. He was signed last June after being sacked by Argentine club Atletico Independiente at the end of last term.
Alaves had been busy in the summer, but their most notable signings are forwards Deyverson and Christian Santos from Levante and NEC Nijmegen, midfielders Nenad Krstičić, Manu Garcia, Ibai Gomez, and Victor Camarasa from Sampdoria, Manchester City, Athletic Bilbao, and Levante, and defenders Zouhair Feddal, Alexis Ruano, and Theo Hernandez from Levante, Besiktas, and Atletico Madrid.
The predicted result is a 2-0 romp for Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Oblak; Luis, Godin, Juanfran, Vrsaljko; Tiago, Koke, Gabi, Carrasco; Gameiro, Griezmann
Alaves starting lineup (4-4-2 formation): Pacheco; R. Garcia, Laguardia, Galilea, Alexis; Femenia, M. Garcia, Llamas, Torres; Santos, Barreiro
