Stuttgart vs Atletico Madrid 05/08/18

5 August 2018

After securing the Europa League promotion, Stuttgart took the preparation period quite serious, as they started to prepare for the new season almost instantly after the end of the previous campaign, with a match against Atletico Madrid that should take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena this weekend will be their ninth this summer. The Reds recorded five wins out of eight games they have been involved so far, including a 3-1 victory over Istanbul Basaksehir and a 2-1 triumph over the Spanish side Eibar, while losing only once, as Hallescher defeated them by five goals to three in their first summer friendly. However, an encounter with La Liga runners-up is going to be by far their most difficult task, with Los Colchoneros looking for their second win this summer after beating Arsenal on penalties at the International Champions Cup. Diego Simeone’s team only played two friendlies since the conclusion of the World Cup, with Paris Saint-Germain who beat them 3-2 resided as theirsecond rival at the prestigious friendly tournament.

Tayfun Korkut will have a chance to test three summer signings, with Gonzalo Castro, Daniel Didavi, and Pablo Maffeo looking to start from the first minute for the German team. On the other hand, Griezmann, Diego Godin, and Diego Costa have rejoined the squad after their commitments in the World Cup, but it is hard that Simeone will decide to include them in the starting line-up.