Atletico Madrid vs Malaga prediction 19.08.2026 | LaLiga

Atlético finished fourth in LaLiga last season with 69 points. Their home record was particularly impressive, with 15 wins, one draw and just three defeats, while they conceded only 17 goals across those 19 home matches. 

However, their preseason has produced mixed results. Atlético opened with a 4-1 victory over Getafe, with Ademola Lookman scoring twice, before losing 2-1 to Manchester United. They subsequently suffered another defeat against Manchester City before ending their preparations positively with a 2-1 victory over Marseille. 

However, Simeone faces attacking selection problems. Alexander Sørloth is expected to miss the start of the season with a muscular injury, while Julián Álvarez only returned to training after the World Cup shortly before the final preseason fixture. Atlético have also lost Antoine Griezmann, Thiago Almada and Nico González from last season's attacking options. Lookman therefore looks particularly important for the opening weeks.

Málaga enjoyed an excellent 2025/26 campaign, finishing fourth in Segunda with 73 points, before defeating Las Palmas and Almería in the promotion playoffs. 

Their preseason has also offered encouragement. Málaga drew 3-3 with Leicester and 2-2 with Al-Ittihad before beating Al-Arabi 4-2. They then lost 2-1 to Ceuta but finished their preparations with a 2-2 draw against Fulham. 

Nevertheless, Málaga arrive with significant injury problems. Fernando Calero, Carlos Dotor and Adrián Niño are unavailable, while Diego Murillo and Moussa Diarra remain in recovery. Niño's absence is particularly significant after he scored 13 goals last season. Aarón Ochoa is also suspended for the opener.