Manchester City: Maresca’s tactical blueprint is gradually taking shape

Manchester City began their summer preparations with a 1-1 draw against Inter, before losing 1-3 on penalties. However, Enzo Maresca secured his first victory as City manager in the following match, as the English side defeated the K-League All-Stars 3-1 on August 5.

The meeting with Atlético Madrid will serve as City’s final warm-up before the English Super Cup showdown against Arsenal on August 16. The new Premier League season will then begin on August 23, when Manchester City host Bournemouth. During the summer transfer window, one of the club’s biggest investments was Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest as part of the squad rebuild under Maresca.

Atlético Madrid: Simeone looks to bounce back after first setback

Atlético Madrid started pre-season in impressive fashion, cruising past Getafe with a convincing 4-1 victory. However, their second friendly presented a tougher challenge, as Diego Simeone’s team lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the Snapdragon Cup despite taking an early lead.

Following the clash with Manchester City, Atlético will play one final friendly against Marseille before beginning their La Liga campaign on August 19 against Málaga at home. The Madrid club strengthened their squad this summer with the additions of Lee Kang-in, Morten Hjulmand, and Alejandro Grimaldo, while successfully retaining Julián Álvarez despite reported interest from Barcelona.

Match facts and head-to-head

Manchester City secured a 3-1 victory over the K-League All-Stars in their latest pre-season friendly.

Atlético Madrid opened their summer schedule with a 4-1 win against Getafe but later suffered a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Erling Haaland and Julián Álvarez will miss the match after being granted additional rest following their late return from the 2026 World Cup.