Atletico de Madrid have established themselves as one of Spain’s traditional powerhouses over the past 15 years.
Although Barcelona and Real Madrid have dominated Spain, Los Colchoneros have also been challenging for the titles and have questioned the authority of the two European giants. The years-old Atleti project under Diego Simeone is now transitioning into its next phase.
Read on for our preview of the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season.
Atletico Madrid’s 2025/26 Campaign
In the 2025/26 La Liga season, Atletico Madrid’s performance was below par than their usual level. They finished fourth in the table with 69 points.
But, more significantly, Atleti fared better in the knockout competitions. Los Rojiblancos reached the final of the Copa del Rey and lost on penalties to Real Sociedad.
Similarly, they had a tremendous run to the Champions League semi-final, where they were held off by a resilient Arsenal side.
Atletico Madrid 2026/27 Season: Diego Simeone’s Tactics at Metropolitano
We will begin our Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season preview with a look at Diego Simeone’s tactics. Once known for their defensive compactness and resistance, Atletico Madrid are now transitioning to a team that maintains possession for longer spells.
La Liga Struggles in the 2025/26 Season
The changed approach made them suffer early in the 2025/26 La Liga season because they lacked creativity and ball penetration. Atleti were able to hold on to the ball for longer, but were not able to move it vertically forward enough to create constant danger for the opposition.
As a result, they only won one La Liga game out of their opening five. This ended their chances of winning the Spanish top division quite early in the season.
Contrasting Knockout Performances: What Made Atleti Play Better?
Atletico Madrid were quite different in the knockouts compared to their La Liga performance. They knocked out the Spanish champions, Barcelona, from both the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
In the Champions League, Los Colchoneros played fluid and modern football.
They build up from the back using their fullbacks and the two forwards, Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, who dropped deep between the lines to receive the ball. With numbers in their own half, Atleti could beat the opponent’’ press and move forward.
How Did Los Rojiblancos Combine in the Final Third?
In the final third, Atletico Madrid relied heavily on the combinations on their right-hand side between Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente, Antoine Griezmann, and Julian Alvarez to create opportunities.
At times, the box presence of Alexander Sorloth provided Atleti with an alternative route to attack by putting in crosses for the big Norwegian.
Atletico Madrid’s Defensive Structure
Defensively, Atletico preferred to defend in a 4-4-2 mid-block. They did not press high constantly but waited for certain triggers to initiate the press. But occasionally, depending on the opposition, they were not afraid to press the opposition high up the pitch constantly.
Their games against Barcelona last season are a clear example of this. Simeone saw the weaknesses in Hansi Flick’s side when the opposition presses them high in their half, and Atletico used that to their advantage extremely well.
Atletico Madrid 2026/27 Season: Summer Activities at Metropolitano
The progress of the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season depends a lot on their transfer business, and they have done well. It has been a busy summer at Metropolitano.
After completing the signings of Alejandro Grimaldo and Morten Hjulmand early in the window, Atleti have moved on to add Kang-in Lee and Cristian Romero to the squad as well.
How do the New Signings Improve Simeone’s Side?
Grimaldo replaces Ruggeri as a left-back and adds a lot more attacking quality to the side.
In recent years, Atleti have been missing an offensive left-back, and now the addition of the Spaniard bolsters their attacking dynamic on the left side of the pitch. Morten Hjulmand provides composure and ball-winning tenacity in midfield.
Kang-in Lee has been brought in to replace Griezmann, who has left for the MLS after the end of the last season, and provides a left-footed dynamic to the attack.
Their most important signing has been the 2022 World Cup winner, Cristian Romero. The Argentine is an aggressive centre-back who perfectly meets the requirements of a Cholo Simeone defender.
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The Transfer Saga That Determines Atletico’s Next Season
The outcome of the Julian Alvarez transfer saga will also play a crucial role in the prosperity of the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season.
If Los Rojiblancos are able to retain their star player and go into the season with the Argentine as their number nine, there is little doubt that Atleti would do better this season than the previous one.
But come the end of the summer, if the Argentine moves away from Metropolitano, Atleti would be left in a tangle to replace La Arana quickly, and that will take its toll in the upcoming season.
Expectations for the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 Season
Atleti fans are optimistic about the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season, especially because of their success last season. They have a strong squad with a good core and have made important signings. But the Alvarez question remains their biggest headline going into the Atletico Madrid 2026/27 season.
If he stays, Atleti have already shown that they can beat Barcelona and Real Madrid and compete in Europe, but if he leaves, that would leave Simeone with a new problem and little time to find the cure.
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