Sports Illustrated has put forward a possible Athletic Madrid starting line for Saturday’s LaLiga meeting with Athletic Club, and the shape points to a side Diego Simeone could trust after the 3-1 win over Sevilla. Jan Oblak is the expected goalkeeper, with Marcos Llorente at right back, Marc Pubill and Dávid Hancko in central defense, Alejandro Grimaldo on the left and Giuliano Simeone on the right side of midfield.
That is the part readers are chasing now: who may start, and how much of the Sevilla win could carry over into this one. Atlético de Madrid are trying to keep themselves in the upper part of the table, while Athletic Club arrive with their first league win of the season already in hand after beating Celta.
Pubill is the clearest clue that this is more than a routine projection. He played 90 minutes against Sevilla, completed 89% of his passes and won 60% of the aerial duels he contested, which gives the back line a steadier look than a simple guess on paper. Llorente’s assist for Álex Baena on Atlético de Madrid’s third goal also matters, because it showed the right side can supply both cover and thrust in the same phase of play.
There is still a catch inside the optimism. Atlético de Madrid won 3-1, but Oblak still did not keep a clean sheet, and that leaves Simeone weighing whether to reward the attacking balance or tighten the defensive line before Saturday. The projected XI is useful because it explains the current direction, but it is not yet the actual lineup.
So the next answer is the only one that counts: Will Diego Simeone start this exact group against Athletic Club, or adjust one or two spots before kickoff on Saturday in LaLiga?
