Atlético Madrid 2025/26 Season Preview: Transfers, Dates, Predictions

Atlético Madrid are gearing up for Julián Álvarez to lead the way with the team this season.

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Following a devastatingly poor FIFA Club World Cup, the expectation was for Atlético Madrid to make big changes to compete for La Liga. Few expected quite how significant that refresh would turn out to be in the weeks to follow.

Sporting director Carlos Bucero opted no to strengthen the squad before the summer tournament in the United States, a call which backfired as the team was eliminated at the group stage.

Immediately afterwards, recruitment began and Atleti hasn’t looked back since. A lackluster defeat to Porto was a disappointing start to pre-season, but a draw with Rayo Vallecano and a win over Newcastle United have shown improvements.

What’s new for Atlético Madrid in 2025/26?

This summer has been one of non-stop action for Atlético. Eight departures and seven new arrivals show the scale of turnover which could see Diego Simeone field a very different lineup to the one that he ended 2024/25 with.

The departure of Rodrigo de Paul has been the only regular starter to have moved on from the club as he joined Inter Miami in MLS, but numerous reliable squad options, such as Samuel Lino, Axel Witsel, Reinildo Mandava, César Azpilicueta and Rodrigo Riquelme have also been moved on to fund transfer moves for other options.

In their places, Atleti has sought to rejuvenate the squad with a younger profile of player. Álex Baena, the star signing and La Liga’s highest provider of assists last season, and Marc Pubill were both part of Spain’s under 23 side that won Olympic gold last summer alongside Pablo Barrios.

Long-term targets have also been brought in, with David Hancko and Thiago Almada putting pen to paper after both being repeatedly linked. There has also been an unexpected contribution from Italy, with Matteo Ruggeri and Giacomo Raspadori, providing the surprises of the window. Now, it’s down to the coach to incorporate his new additions.

Diego Simeone addressed that very point in his first pre-match press conference of the season as he explained that, “now new faces have arrived, young people who are aware of the legacy that has been built over the last 13, 14, 15 years by many of the players who continue to help this club grow, and who are eager to adapt to the club’s current needs”.

Atlético Madrid team news for the start of the 2025/26 campaign

Despite the wealth of new faces on offer, Atlético Madrid will start the season without one of their longest-serving stalwarts. Defensive leader José María Giménez has not trained since the Club World Cup after suffering a muscle injury which he is yet to return from. There is no timeline for the Uruguayan’s return.

In midfield, Pablo Barrios has also been absent in pre-season after suffering a muscle strain. While he has trained fully in the lead up to the season-opening game against Espanyol, he is not expected to start until he has more minutes under his belt to regain full match fitness.

Atlético Madrid key dates for 2025/26

The first major fixture to take place at the Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano this season will be the Madrid derby against Real Madrid, which will be held on the weekend of September 28th with the exact time and date yet to be confirmed. The return fixture will then take place over the weekend of March 22nd.

A little over a month later, on November 1st, Atlético will travel to the Spotify Camp Nou for one of Barcelona’s first big fixtures back at their home stadium after renovation works. The Culés will then visit Madrid to take on Atlético on April 5th.

On a continental front, the UEFA Champions League league stage draw will take place on August 28th to decide who Atlético Madrid will play in the first stage of the competition. Just over two weeks later, in the week of September 15th, the first game of that league phase will be played.

Atlético Madrid predictions for 2025/26

Atlético centered much of their game around superstar Julián Álvarez in his first season at the club, and his 29 goals justified that call. This season, the expectation will be for him to do even better than he did in his best-ever season.

Much of the team’s recruitment has focused on supporting the Argentine and adding depth which could prove pivotal. Lessons have been learned from recent campaigns, where the squad has run out of steam come March.

There will be no changing of the guard just yet, but this could be the final season as Colchoneros for club captain Koke and record goalscorer Antoine Griezmann, who could both depart next summer.