Friendly preview, team news, lineups & h2h
- Here is the Man City vs Atletico Madrid prediction article for friendly match which breaks down form, key players, odds and H2H meetings ahead of the clash.
- The two side will meet on Sunday August 9 at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England .
- Kick off set for 2PM EAT.
Manchester City and Atletico Madrid will face off in a high-profile pre-season friendly at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as both sides continue their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign.
City head into the encounter on the back of a 3-1 victory over K-League Stars, while Atletico Madrid will be looking to respond after suffering a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in their most recent pre-season outing.
For Manchester City, the fixture will provide another opportunity for new head coach Enzo Maresca to assess his squad before the competitive campaign begins.
The Citizens started pre-season with a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan before losing the resulting penalty shootout 3-1, but they bounced back with a comfortable victory over K-League Stars.
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The match against Atletico will be City’s final pre-season fixture before they turn their attention to the Community Shield, where they will face Arsenal on August 16. They will then open their Premier League campaign at home to Bournemouth on August 23.
City have strengthened their squad during the summer, with Elliot Anderson among their notable arrivals from Nottingham Forest. Maresca will be keen to use the final friendly to fine-tune his plans and give several players valuable minutes ahead of the new season.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, began their pre-season with a convincing 4-1 victory over Getafe before losing 2-1 to Manchester United in the Snapdragon Cup.
Diego Simeone’s side will have another two pre-season matches against Manchester City and Marseille before beginning their La Liga campaign against Malaga on August 19.
The Spanish side have also been active in the transfer market, bringing in Lee Kang-in, Morten Hjulmand and Alejandro Grimaldo as they look to strengthen their squad for the new season.
Julian Alvarez remains with Atletico despite reported interest from Barcelona, although the Argentina international is still unavailable following his involvement in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
What time does Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid start?
Kick-off is scheduled for 2:00PM on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England.
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid team news
Manchester City will be without Erling Haaland, who has yet to rejoin the squad following his involvement with Norway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rayan Cherki, Marc Guehi and Elliot Anderson are also expected to miss the friendly, while Nico O’Reilly remains unavailable.
Rodri is another major absentee after undergoing a minor back operation. His future has also been the subject of speculation, with reports linking the midfielder with a move to Barcelona.
Omar Marmoush could be handed a starting role after coming off the bench against K-League Stars. Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo, Savinho and Ruben Dias are also expected to feature.
For Atletico, Julian Alvarez remains unavailable after representing Argentina at the World Cup, while Nahuel Molina, Giuliano Simeone, Alex Baena, Alejandro Grimaldo and Alexander Sorloth are also yet to return.
Lee Kang-in has joined up with the squad and could make his Atletico debut against City, while Hjulmand is also expected to feature.
Koke, Robin Le Normand and Ademola Lookman are among the other players likely to be involved.
Predicted lineups
Manchester City possible starting XI: Donnarumma; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Reijnders, Kovacic; Semenyo, Foden, Savinho; Marmoush
Atletico Madrid possible starting XI: Oblak; Sola, Gimenez, Le Normand, Hancko; Cardoso, Koke, Hjulmand; Lee Kang-in, Martin, Lookman
Manchester City vs Atletico Madrid head-to-head and current form
Manchester City have won one and drawn one of their two pre-season fixtures so far, while Atletico have recorded one victory and one defeat.
The Citizens will be particularly keen to finish pre-season on a positive note after their penalty-shootout defeat to Inter Milan earlier in August.
Atletico, meanwhile, will want to improve their performance after struggling for long periods against Manchester United. Simeone’s side will be looking for a more disciplined display against a City team expected to provide another demanding test.
Man City vs Atletico Madrid prediction
This should be a competitive encounter between two sides still working towards full match sharpness ahead of the new season.
Manchester City are likely to control possession and create the majority of the chances, but Atletico’s defensive structure could make it difficult for the hosts to turn that dominance into a convincing victory.
With several key players still absent on both sides, the match could be decided by the depth of the respective squads and the impact of the players introduced from the bench.
City’s attacking quality should ensure they create opportunities, but Atletico have enough experience and defensive organisation to keep the contest close.
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