Revealed: Atlético Madrid’s 2018/19 Liga Santander fixtures

Tuesday afternoon saw LaLiga unveil its newly-asymmetrical fixture list for the upcoming season, which begins on August 19. The league elected to do away with the traditional mirror format (for example, if you hosted a team in matchday three, you would play away to that same team in matchday 22) this season — and as a result, Atlético Madrid’s first match in 2018/19 will be an unusually big one. It will be against Valencia at Mestalla, while possible title rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid will begin the season at home against Alavés and Getafe respectively.

Valencia-Atlético is the obvious standout fixture from matchday one around LaLiga, as both sides will feature in the Champions League group stage. It’s not often that such a big fixture opens the season — Atleti played newly promoted sides (Las Palmas, Alavés and Girona) to start each of the past three seasons.

Other dates to jot down on the calendar include el Derbi against Real Madrid on Sept. 30 and Feb. 10, in addition to Barcelona’s visit on Nov. 25 (and the reverse on April 7). Plus, Rodri is in line for a return to Villarreal on Oct. 21 and Antoine Griezmann is slated for a return to Real Sociedad and Anoeta on March 3. Atlético’s league season ends at Levante on May 26.

Atleti’s full fixture list can be found here.