Will Wanda Metropolitano feel like home and other talking points as Atletico Madrid host Malaga in La Liga

Andy West 23:47 15/09/2017
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  • Atletico Madrid and Malaga will face each other on Sunday.

    Ahead of their La Liga clash, we take a look at the key talking points.

    Get in touch with your thoughts!

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    WILL A STADIUM CALLED WANDA FEEL LIKE HOME?

    Far more than the action itself, Saturday will be remembered by Atletico Madrid fans as their team’s first ever game in the brand new Wanda Metropolitano stadium, which has been completed in a hurry and will be officially opened in a glitzy ceremony presided over by none less than King Felipe of Spain.

    Although Atletico have been waiting for a long time for this day to arrive, the next few weeks will also be a major challenge.

    The partisan atmosphere generated at their old Vicente Calderon home was worth half a goal by itself, and understandably it may take a while for fans and players alike to feel truly at home in their new surroundings.

    For a club like Atletico which has always prided itself on its humble, working-class background, being based at a spectacular and shiny modern area could prove to be a significant culture shock. Three points on opening day would be a big help in smoothing the process.

    WHERE WILL THE GOALS COME FROM?

    Atletico’s defence has been as stingy as ever in the last week, allowing Diego Simeone’s men to register consecutive clean sheets in creditable away draws at Valencia and Roma.

    But the team’s lack of goals in those scoreless contests is a cause for concern, especially with star forward Antoine Griezmann looking badly out of touch when he made his return from suspension in the Italian capital on Tuesday night as Atletico kicked off their Champions League campaign.

    Atletico suffering from a problems in front of goal is nothing new, and Simeone would love nothing more than Griezmann’s fellow French international Kevin Gameiro finally finding consistent form after a stop-start spell at the club to date.

    With Angel Correa, Luciano Vietto and the veteran Fernando Torres also all available, Simeone certainly has no shortage of options in attack. But it would be very handy if one of them could actually start scoring more than once every few weeks.

    CAN MALAGA KICK START THEIR SEASON?

    Visiting Malaga have endured a dreadful start to the season and arrive at the new Wanda Metropolitano with a horrible record of played three, lost three.

    Their poor form is not especially surprising following a woeful summer in the transfer market which saw all their best players depart (including Sandro, Pablo Fornals, Nacho Camacho and Diego Llorente) with the replacements not appearing to possess the same quality.

    Angry fans called for the club’s owner Sheikh Al-Thani to resign during their last outing, a 3-1 home defeat to Las Palmas on Monday night, while there have also been strong reports that manager Michel – a former Real Madrid midfielder – could be on the verge of departing.

    The Andalusians desperately need a positive result this weekend but the question of how they will find it remains unclear, with their squad appearing to significantly lack the necessary quality to compete against Simeone’s men.

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