|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Lee Kang-In scored on his competitive debut and Alex Baena added a free kick as Atletico Madrid beat newly promoted Malaga 2-0 to open their La Liga 2026-27 campaign at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Both goals came in the last twenty minutes after the pair were introduced from the bench. Alaves had earlier thrashed ten-man Getafe 3-0, and Sevilla beat Rayo Vallecano with a penalty seven minutes into stoppage time.
Madrid, Spain: For seventy minutes, Malaga’s plan worked.
The promoted side arrived at the Metropolitano with a low block and the patience to hold it, and Diego Simeone’s team could find no way through. The opening exchanges produced almost nothing at either end. Atletico controlled the ball and the tempo and got nowhere with either.
Then Simeone changed the game with two substitutions, and the match changed with them.
The Debut Goal
Lee Kang-In, signed from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, cut in from the right in the 70th minute and curled a left-footed shot inside the far post. It was his first competitive touch of significance in Atletico colours and it was worth the wait.
Alex Baena, introduced alongside him, finished the job five minutes from time with a free kick struck with equal precision. Simeone declined to separate them afterwards, calling the two goals brilliant, saying his side had needed them, and adding that Malaga had played a great game.
ALSO READ: Messi ends goal drought with emotional strike as Inter Miami salvage a point at Philadelphia
The win comes at the start of a season Atletico enter after a fourth-placed finish and 69 points last term, a Copa del Rey final and a Champions League semi-final — and no trophy. Simeone, now in his fifteenth full campaign in charge, has been backed with more than €140 million: Cristian Romero, Alejandro Grimaldo, Morten Hjulmand and Lee arrived, while Antoine Griezmann, the club’s all-time leading scorer, Thiago Almada and Nahuel Molina left. Julian Alvarez, with only eight days of pre-season behind him, was not risked.
Atletico sit provisionally third, behind Alaves and Espanyol.
Mariano Runs the Show in Vitoria
The season had opened four days earlier at Mendizorroza, where Alaves dismantled Getafe 3-0 in a match decided by a red card and a former Real Madrid striker.
Kiko Femenia was sent off late in the first half for a high lunge, and Getafe held out for another half-hour before Nahuel Tenaglia headed the hosts in front on 73 minutes. What followed was a collapse: Mariano curled a superb second from the edge of the box in stoppage time, then teed up Mikel Rodriguez for the third moments later. A goal and two assists from Mariano gave Quique Sanchez Flores the start he wanted.
Sevilla Leave It Very Late
Sevilla’s evening was considerably more uncomfortable. A defensive mix-up let Alvaro Garcia in to give Rayo Vallecano an early lead at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, and the hosts spent the rest of the match chasing the game.
Jon Gurudi levelled it seven minutes into the second half. The winner took far longer to arrive — Gerard “Peque” Fernandez converting a penalty in the seventh minute of stoppage time, deep enough into the night that a point had begun to look like the ceiling.
An Opener Without the Giants
The round has been unusual in shape as well as scheduling. Spain’s World Cup triumph less than a month ago left clubs with players returning late, and matchday one was staggered across five days as a result. Barcelona, chasing a third consecutive title, and Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid have not played at all — the champions visit Elche on 23 August.
Which leaves the early table in the hands of Alaves, Espanyol and Atletico, and a fortnight before anyone can say what it means.
Results — La Liga 2026-27, Matchday 1
Alaves 3-0 Getafe (Tenaglia 73′, Mariano 90+, Mikel Rodriguez 90+)
Sevilla 2-1 Rayo Vallecano (Gurudi 52′, Gerard Fernandez pen 90+7; Alvaro Garcia for Rayo)
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Malaga (Lee Kang-In 70′, Baena)
