Atletico Madrid vs. Villarreal [FIRST 15 MINUTES LIVE] | LALIGA Highlights | ESPN FC

ESPN FC

Tune into ESPN FC TV ahead of Atletico Madrid vs. Villarreal LALIGA matchup, where you can watch the first 15 minutes of the match. Tune into LALIGA all season long on ESPN+ ➡️ https://shorturl.at/iFx7z ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN

Transcript

going to make it three La Liga titles in a row. Well, we will find out in just a couple of hours how they start the season as they go up against Elche. And look at our welltraveled crew. Dan Thomas and Ali Moreno will be at that game. Remember, they were not too far away last night. But Dan, nice of you guys to dress up for us. >> Well, I tell you what, it is 100° here. Don't start Nunees. All right. You're at the air conditioning. We're here suffering in the alaca heat. What a hard life it is. >> Ah. >> Um, let's let's ask you that question. >> Yeah. >> Can Barcelona make it three in a row? >> All right. I thought you you were going to ask me if we were true professionals. >> No. No. Apparently, your column makes you professional and me not. But let's not start on Nunes's fashion tips. >> Okay. >> All right. As it pertains to Barcelona, yes, they can. And even though they have a major and it's a major hole in terms of who's going to score the goals for this team and they haven't addressed that and it's been a lot of the conversation in this off season. I still think that they can get enough out of the attack. The attack is not really the question for Barcelona when you think about it. They seem to have strengthened in the midfield certainly with the presence of Rodri and defensively. Yeah, I'll mention it. I'll bring it up. the high line. It's not something that I'm a big fan of and it's something that I think we've all talked about quite a bit, but they seem to have a handle on it. And scoring goals I don't think will be a problem. I don't know that they will be as dynamic or explosive, but they're going to need La Minal to be at his best, Rafina to be at his best, to stay fit, to stay on the field, and then the rest of the guys are just going to have to fill in the gaps and score a goal here and there. >> Eight of the squad were part of the World Cup team that won the World Cup. How does that affect them going into the start of the season? >> Well, part of the conversation going into this match is who's going to be on the field and available for Barcelona. And while let's just say that Real Madrid got away with it yesterday against Espanol and they won it late, they still got the three points. So, it puts an early and I mean it's really early, but it's an early pressure for Barcelona to come up with a result with perhaps an alternative lineup. And that's sort of what we're hearing is that this is going to be a version of Barcelona. Not the best version of Barcelona, but one that should be good enough to be deceick starting to lay down the law. Obviously, Bal not in the squad. Suggestions that his commitment wasn't what Flick was looking for for a player within his squad and we're starting to see maybe his DNA more and more on this side. Yeah, in the case of Alejandra Valde, I think he got the message quite clearly when Jo Canelo was brought back into the team. And there's conversation of younger players that may take his position and he I think he feels on the outside looking in and very soon he may be on the very outside, not even looking in. He may not be part of this team much longer. Hans Fleek, I think his main concern was I want a number nine. >> We now have the flexibility and finally the financial ability to go and sign a player. That's what I want, a number nine. And what did Barcelona deliver? Not a number nine. So I think there are some concerns there, but again, I think for the most part, Barcelona will be able to score enough goals to win enough games in La Liga. >> The expectations tonight, you look at away matches and if you could take your pick, Elchce is not a bad one to start your season. >> No, it it is not. I think Elchce, while they'll try to defend, it's also a team that likes to get on the attack, that likes to have the ball. So there'll be enough space for Barcelona. Can they get out in transition? Laamar, will he start? That's a question. And if he does, is he going to be dynamic? Wasn't as dynamic as we wanted him to be in the World Cup. Rafina again, he has to be a differencemaker for this group. How they control the midfield is a key for Barcelona. But the lineup itself is going to be a big question for Flick and how this team goes about winning this match tonight. >> Right. Time to do some preparation on the rooftop pool. Meanwhile, back to you. [laughter] >> Oh, what a tough life they live. What a tough life they live in Indeed. Well, we can definitely see a lot more of Dan and Al because they will be at that game. Elchce against Barcelona. Can Hansy Flicks men start the new season with a big win? Many believe so, but only time will tell. Make sure to join us as our pre-show begins at 3 p.m. Eastern time over on ESPN 2, the app, as well as ABC. Lot of speculation about the future of Julian Alvarez for Atletico de Madrid. Will he have any part to play in this game? We'll countdown to [music] kickoff after the break. Yep. >> Like this is me on the main mic and I'll try to talk back now. >> All good. >> Can you hear? >> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Perfectly. I hear Mario. Yeah. >> Cheers. Thank you. Welcome back. Less than 10 minutes away now to kick off between Atletico de Madrid against Vie Real. What an enticing clash this one's shaping up to be. But let's have a look at the odds and what they say. They're saying Atletico Madrid very much favorites to win this one. Well, time to get some predictions. Let's start with Sid Low who is pitch side at the Metropolitano. Sid, is that how you see it? Atleti big favorites. >> No, I think Atletico on the face of it are favorites playing at home against Val with the squad that they have. But these two teams do tend to face each other early in the season and Atletico Madrid do tend to find it very hard to beat Val. Been a lot of draws over recent years between these two sides. They're third and fourth in the league table last year. So I'm going to sit on the fence and go for a draw this time around as well. 1-1. >> Ah, sit on the fence. We hate fences. Casey, come on. Give me something more. I I I I think Atletico will avenge the 5-1 loss and they'll just just sneak it 2-1. >> 2-1. >> Yep. >> Do we see any of Julian Alvarez today? >> Potentially. >> Potentially. >> Potentially. I think it might just break the ice and get him in for 10, 15 minutes. See what the crowd does. >> Well, it's going to be an interesting reception that Julian Alvarez will undoubtedly get from the Colonto fans. We know they like to let their voices be heard, right? It's time for kickoff. When we come back, our commentators Rob Palmer and former Latim man himself, Mario Suarez, [cheering] >> Mario, enjoy the game. >> We got the lineups. Yeah. Enjoy the game, Mario. >> Thank you. Cool. Penalty. One A very good day from Rob Palmy and Mario Suarez. We're getting close to 5:00 local time. It's getting a little cooler in the capital of Spain. It's Atletico Madrid against V Royale. Arguably the most tense matchup of the weekend. Atletico finished fourth last season, V Royale in third. So Mario, two of the Champions League representatives for Spain this season. This is going to be a tough one to call. >> Hi Rob. Yeah. Uh the best match of the weekend for sure in Spain. Good good teams, new coach in Val, but the same idea and looking forward to see how Grimaldo performed today. I think it's a good signing Kanglin from the start also. Uh well, a lot of things to to see today and I hope we that we can enjoy a good match. >> One of the new initiatives from our friends at La Liga this season is the inside of the the referee's room. Rather sedate in there. Meanwhile, the last minute preparations been made by Villa Royale, their second game of the week. They were trailing 2-0 against Rathling Santander, the newly promoted team. Came back with two goals in the space of a minute to draw 2-2 in their debut match. Atletico Madrid are playing at home for the second time in a week. They had a two-nil success here against Malaga, but they needed an inspiration of substitutes to change the course of history in that game. Kangyan Lee and Bayerna both coming on as Athletico. You saw that game, Mario. They they were they were struggling a little bit, weren't they? They needed that injection of inspiration. >> Yeah, they start the match with six players from the academy, young players, not the starters. And uh they were struggling as you said, but the quality of two players who came from the bench, Alex Baya with an amazing free kick and Kang Lee uh were crucial and they finally won and in these kind of matches they need to win. It doesn't matter the way they play. >> Well, that go Madrid are looking for revenge in the final game of last season when they went to Castleon. They were beaten by five goals to one. A noisy welcome to the two sets of players here at the Metropolitano. Hey. Well, they're great supporters here and they did inspire the team to 15 wins in 19 home games last season. The problem was on the road where they lost eight times. [music] And that is why Athletico finished behind for Royale in the final standings. There has been a tinkering of the team and money invested around 140 million euros in the summer. We're going to see a number of those players making their full debut this evening for Atletico Madrid here at the Metropolitano. There's a very deep pool of players that Cibioni can dip into when required and he very quickly needs to find the winning formula to satisfy these noisy supporters. This is the starting 11 normally a back four. Pubil comes in. Grimaldo makes his debut on the left hand side. We'll talk to Mario about that. He's a goalc scoring left back. The manager son Simeone comes in on the right hand side and Kanging Lee will be playing as a striker alongside Lukman. The big talking point of course in Spain has been Julio Alvarez who the club are saying he's definitely not going anywhere unless somebody can spring the 500 million buyout in his contract. The officials today led by Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez. He is set to him in the number one in Spain. He was the only representative of La Liga at the World Cup finals and he will be backed up by Seor Martinez Gonzalez Frances. He's made the journey over from Las Palace of the Canary Islands. Same again for Villa Royale, the starting 11 that faced Rafing Santander, a new coach in Inigo Pereff, but they have the same kind of 442 formula and they're happy that Aayoth Pere is back. He struggled last season with injury. He was out mainly between February and May, but he is their best source of goals. And he is a top young coach. I know Mario that you obviously have a strong connection, two spells with Atletico Madrid, eight majors in your time there, but you also know Inigo Pereff. [cheering] Yeah, with Adrian I play a lot of matches and we won titles with Atletico de Madrid and with Inu I have been in Rao Bayano when he was the the second coach from Antonio Raola that is now coaching Liverpool and here is another legend Fernando Torresa and Alo Franco that they are now the coaches of the second team of Atletico de Madrid >> great goalkeeper and a legendary center forward as well. Fernando Torres these days is uh the man who's bringing so many players through. As Mario said, there were six players from the academy who participated in midweek making their four debuts in this one. Grimaldo Huland in midfield. Kang Ing Lee who has come from Paris Sanjiman and they do have a strong bench as well. The camera there of course he's trained on Ulio Alvarez. There was a strong statement from Miguel Anelhill the club's president this week said he's not going anywhere. They're going to take care of him. Get him the right help. And then a little aside that he hasn't had the best of advice from his agent. V Royale kicking the game off knowing that it'll be a little more difficult than the last time they met back in May when they hammered Atéico by five goals to one. [cheering] It has been a a tie which has been close over the years. 48 games played. Atletico have won two more than Villa Royale. 16 have been drawn. [cheering] And when you look at the Mario player for player form last season, how they furred from the start, this is going to be a tough one to separate. Here is Kanging Lee who is bristling with confidence and wearing that mystical number seven shirt vacated by Antoan Griezmann. >> Yes, it's very difficult to to replace the legend Antoan Griezmann because of the number of good things that he has done for Atléico and for the football. But well, I think Atético with the signings improve the quality of the of the team of the squad with Kangin Lee, with Grimaldo, with Human with Couty Romero and because they know they have to perform much better than last season. That's the that's the reality. Atléico had a disappointing season ultimately finishing fourth but they did reach the cup final and they made it to the semifinals of the Champions League and that is really where Simeone put his eggs in the basket towards the end of last season ensuring that he had the strongest 11 for Europe and uh experimenting in La Liga but no experimentation tonight. 11 fit bodies out there. Here is Simeone Jr. who has to win the fans over at the moment. Back to Kang Lee. Hund to the other new man. Ronaldo takes a deflection which made the save all the more impressive from Luis Junior. [cheering] >> You can see this is what Ronaldo can give you in attack. Last season he scored 14 goals more than 10 assists with Vay Leusen and it's amazing and also in the set pieces is going to be very important because it's something that Atéico missed in the last seasons. So I think it's a very good signing and let's see what he can do. >> 10 shots and he takes Cordis as well. Ronaldo applies it into the near post. It's the full force of Atletico Madrid right from the start. Tall players are still in there. Kanging Lee controls the ball down to Grimaldo. Rodri Mendoza, another breakthrough player. Half cleared by Romero. [cheering] Well, they're setting out their stall and getting into the faces of the Vale right from the start. Yeah, this is what we demand for Atléico when also when he play at home to go to attack and to go to try to to reach the goal and sometimes when they also put in front when they put winning they stop doing this. Ronaldo this time looking to the far post. It's Hansko who heads the ball in. Everybody back on defensive duty here for Villa Royale. Koke Villa Royale getting obstacles in the way. HKO in there again. Emergency defending. Fight the skipper heads away at the moment. If they can reach the halfway line, that's an achievement for the all yellow team. But you can see what a shoot from from Grimaldo and what a good save from the keeper. But Grimmaldo like to captive positions to try to shoot to try to assist and it's as I told before very good signing for me for Atléico if Simeon allows him to to attack. Ronaldo finally establishing himself in La Liga. He came through the Barcelona system. Lamazia had seven years in the youth team and the B team was actually the youngest debutant for the Zagunda side until Lein came around and here he is now as one of the senior players at the age of 30. Big signing from Vakuzi Lukeman having to play as the central striker the focal point. Alvarez on the bench. Solot the Viking striker is currently injured. Molero to Pepe trying to get it on his favored left foot. They're aware of that. Pepe plays it across the face of goal and a necessary needs must block. This is good pressure. Mikort runs out of space. Looks pleing at the referee. >> This is what Fala is so good at absorbing pressure and then attacking at incredible speed. >> Yeah. And and this decision is going to be more we are going to see more of this from Variel because Inigo Perez likes this. He don't likes very much the position of the ball. He likes to attack quickly fast and with this kind of players you can do it. And what a save from Maru. That safe is like a a goal for a defender. He was saying Mario in the buildup to the game that he felt his team were too passive defensively and also in the final third when they went to Santandere for the opening night of the season. Here is Lukeman. Koke still going strong. The leader in midfield. Kanying Lee given that roaming roll. Good clearance away by Renato Vega. V Royale having to dig very deep from the start of this game. Well, his old boss Antonio is making his Premier League debut. Fate's an amazing thing, isn't it? The indigo Pereira would have headed over to England and has his assistant at Bournemouth. had he not run into uh admin problems, didn't get a visa, didn't get a work permit to head there, took over at Ry Vayakano, and he's making himself a name as one of the top young coaches in European football, guiding Rya to the final of the UEFA Conference last season. We brought you Real Madrid in a tense match against Espanol as Mourinho was back last night. Later today, Barcelona down on the south coast against Elchce. But this Mario is undoubtedly the the most intense of all of the matches in La Liga this weekend. >> Yes. And and here we we are watching the previous action where Grimmaldo struggling defensively with Pepe and what a save from Marville. Amazing season last season and hopefully he can do the same this year. World champion also. >> Absolutely. But he played only one minute of the World Cup finals came on and there was an insurance policy against Austria. Pubell is up there >> and an excellent take in the sunshine from Luis Junior. [cheering] Indigo Bar Pereth coming in to replace Marcelino. It's a very familiar starting 11 and formation as well, but I'm sure as the season progresses, he will impose himself. Very well organized coach. Here is Lukeman sees off Foy. Rodrigo Mendoza is closed down. Where's the four players as the extra attacking player? Man who came in from Elchce mid-season. He's had a good preseason as well. He scored against Marseilles in one of the warm-up games. >> Yeah, young player, lot of talent. Erh Pedri said that he's the player who looks most like him. So I think that's that's a good thing for a player. But well two matches this season to two two matches been starting. So that's a good thing for him and it's not easy to achieve that with Simeona. You can see that from our Spanish director, the the graphic showing that when they are defending Atletico Madrid, this is a point you made to me in the the build up the chat that we had before the game. Oh, the graphic you will see before the game, it's a a fourman defense, but very much Simeone is the extra fullback, isn't he? When uh they do defend, he gets everybody back there. Yeah, the he puts the the line of five defenders with Juliano Simeon doing that on the right side, Grimaldo on the left and Puil, Hansko and Lenor Maro on the center and in when they are attacking they play like with a four defender with playing Mark Pubil as a right back. So he likes to do this Simeone from a long time ago and that's his system. Well, the son Juliano is under strict instructions from his father. Doesn't always go down well with the locals that he's in the starting ahead of Bayenna and Barios. It's a teasing ball. Pubil takes charge again. My goodness, he's come an awful long way in the last 12 months. Mark Pubil, a bargain 20 million euro signing from Al Maria. Here is Pepe again. [cheering] has been very useful at both ends of the field. >> Yeah, it's amazing. The last season he was not playing at all. He made his debut I think against Real Madrid or one of his first matches and since then he start playing as a as an starter and until today world champion and everything as we talked before and it's amazing the performance he's doing. It's a fair cabinet he's got at home. World Cup winners medal and an Olympic gold as well from his time with the development team. It's a great point you make.