---
title: "Atlético name Llorente and Baena for Málaga opener; Álvarez and Cuti out"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/atletico-malaga-opener-llorente-baena-asnhp
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Sports
published: 2026-08-19T18:30:48.315Z
modified: 2026-08-19T20:00:05.649Z
language: en-IN
---

# Atlético name Llorente and Baena for Málaga opener; Álvarez and Cuti out

Atlético de Madrid announced a 24-man squad for the La Liga opener against Málaga, including Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena. Julián Álvarez and Cristian Romero are absent, with Sorloth injured and the futures of Vargas and Lemar unclear.

## Key takeaways

- Atlético selects a 24-player squad for the La Liga opener against Málaga at the Metropolitano.
- Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena are included; Julián Álvarez and Cristian Romero are absent.
- Alexander Sorloth is sidelined by a muscle issue; Obed Vargas and Thomas Lemar may leave the club this transfer window.

## What Happened

Atlético de Madrid announced its squad for the La Liga 2026-2027 opening match against Málaga, set to be played at the Metropolitano. The delegation includes 24 players, led by the goalkeepers Jan Oblak, Juan Musso and Salvador Esquivel, and features a mix of senior and youth players. Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena were included in the squad, while Julián Álvarez and Cristian 'Cuti' Romero were listed as absent from the roster. Alexander Sorloth is dealing with a muscle issue, and Obed Vargas and Thomas Lemar are noted as potentially leaving the club in the current transfer window.

Be that as it may, the club publicly confirmed the presence of several players who joined late in pre-season or have had limited minutes, including Musso and the other Spanish and Argentine internationals who returned to training around August 10. The roster also lists a number of youngsters who have been integrated into the pre-season program and feature in the squad for the match.

## Why It Matters

The absence of Julián Álvarez, a high-profile attacker, and Cristian Romero could influence Atlético’s attacking dynamics and defensive setup as they begin a new La Liga campaign. The club’s emphasis on building around Álvarez has been cited by the manager, and the return of late-prep participants into the squad could affect the balance of the starting lineup for the Málaga match.

Meanwhile, Málaga mark their return to the top flight after nine years, adding a layer of risk for Atlético as the opposition aims to begin its campaign with a strong result. The transfer-window situation surrounding Vargas and Lemar adds uncertainty to Atlético’s squad composition for the season’s early fixtures.

## Background

Atlético were preparing for the 2026-2027 La Liga season under Diego Simeone, who has highlighted the plan to build around Julián Álvarez in attack. Álvarez joined training in mid-August but had not yet reached peak fitness for competition. Málaga are returning to La Liga after relegation or absence and are fielding a squad with several younger players, while managing a number of injuries and late additions ahead of the opener.

## Key Facts

- The match is Atlético de Madrid vs Málaga in La Liga, at the Metropolitano.

- Atlético named 24 players for the matchday squad.

- Julián Álvarez and Cristian Romero were absent from the squad; Sorloth injured.

- Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena were included in the squad.

- Obed Vargas and Thomas Lemar could leave the club in the transfer window.

- Álvarez joined training on 10 August but is not yet ready to play in the opener.

- Málaga are returning to La Liga after nine years in the second tier.

## What Happens Next

The La Liga season for Atlético begins with the game against Málaga; further squad movements, particularly regarding Vargas, Lemar, and Julián Álvarez’s fitness progression, will influence subsequent selections and match readiness. No specific next-date was provided for subsequent fixtures beyond this opening match.

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/atletico-malaga-opener-llorente-baena-asnhp
Reported from: Multiple Sources