Atletico face their second pre-season test this evening as the face second division side, Real Oviedo at the Carlos Tartiere (kick-off 2000 CET). With their stay at Los Ángeles de San Rafael (Segovia) over, Cholo faces one of the most important pre-season campaigns of his career. An important moment for his players to gel together and for his team to remove the tag of predictable that was thrown at his Atleti side towards the latter part of the 2014-15 season.
El Cholo is well aware that both Sevilla and Valencia have reinforced their squads well over the summer and will to their utmost to displace Atleti as the main contenders to the ‘big two’. Arda has gone and the responsibility of orchestrating the team’s midfield rhythm now falls to Koke
Later this morning Simeone will submit his squad to make the journey to Asturias. Goalkeeper, Oblak is ready and is expected to play this evening but recently presented, Jackson Martinez will stay in Madrid. Today the Slovenian stopper will face his Oviedo counterpart, Esteban. The 40 year old played at the Calderon some 15 years ago and just some weeks ago made one of the most important saves of his career, preventing Cadiz from scoring at the Carranza and ensuring a long awaited return to the second tier of Spanish football for ‘Los Carbayones’.