Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images

Atlético are hoping to avoid its worst start to a season since 2009. Three days after a disappointing home draw with Espanyol, and one day after finding out its slate of opponents in the inaugural Champions League ?league phase?, Atletico de Madrid play Athletic Club in an early-season test against last season?s Copa del Rey winners.
Atlético Madrid (1-2-0, 5 points) opted to rest several players against newly-promoted Espanyol, including Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente, Pablo Barrios, Conor Gallagher, and Josema Giménez. Los Colchoneros dominated the first half of Wednesday?s game and rang up 25 shots for the game, accruing 2.47 expected goals. However, Diego Simeone?s rash halftime triple-sub (Griezmann/Barrios/Llorente replacing Julián Alvarez/Samuel Lino/Nahuel Molina) destabilized the team, and Rodrigo Riquelme was left disappointed after having two goals chalked off for offside amidst the chaos as Espanyol escaped the capital with a 0-0 draw. Simeone lamented his side?s lack of ?forcefulness? on Wednesday and will have to hope the situation changes Saturday, when Atlético visit Athletic (1-1-1, 4 points) in search of a first win at San Mamés since 2022. A draw or a defeat would see Atleti enter the season?s first international break with one win from four games ? Los Rojiblancos? worst return from the opening four games of a league season in 15 years.
?We know how difficult it is each time we play in B...