Who says newly promoted teams can’t make waves? Málaga may be here to give Atlético a “heart attack” this time

If you look only at the teams’ reputations, this match seems to have little suspense: Atlético Madrid host newly promoted Málaga, and however you look at it, the stronger side should be in control.
But if football could really be decided by reputation alone, coaches could probably have retired long ago.
Málaga face Atlético in their first match back in La Liga, so the pressure is naturally enormous. At the same time, however, newly promoted teams have a hidden advantage—they do not have too much baggage. Everyone expects Atlético to win, so the longer they fail to score, the greater the pressure on the pitch becomes; everyone expects Málaga to fight relegation, so they can instead play with the mindset that anything gained beyond a single point is a bonus.
That is what makes Málaga most worth watching.
For Atlético, the squad upgrade is a fact. The team has strengthened several positions, and its overall depth is better than last season. However, the forward line is not completely healthy: Álvarez will miss the opening round, while Sørloth also has injury concerns. There were even reports before the match that Atlético’s attack could be affected as a result.
So I expect the match to unfold in an interesting way: Atlético will be responsible for applying the pressure, while Málaga will “stick to the facts, make their case, and defend for 90 minutes.”
As long as Málaga can keep a clean sheet in the first half, the match will gradually turn into a psychological battle. The more Atlético want to score, the more space they may leave behind; the bolder Málaga are on the counterattack, the more likely they are to steal a chance.
Still, Atlético are Atlético. Home advantage, Simeone’s match experience, and their overall strength all give them a higher margin for error.
My view is that Atlético will eventually take all three points, but the process may not be as easy as the scoreline suggests. Prediction: 2-0, with 2-1 as the cautious pick.
As for Málaga pulling off an upset? I can only say this: the chance exists, but the difficulty is roughly equivalent to secretly taking the last slice of pizza in front of Simeone—not entirely impossible, but the key is that you have to run fast enough.#五大联赛赛前预测官