Atletico Madrid predicted lineup for 2022-23 season

The Spanish outfit will be hoping to win a trophy in the upcoming season.

Atletico Madrid is one of the toughest teams in Europe. The La Liga outfit is a gritty unit under Diego Simeone which is adept at grinding out results. Their main objective in the 2022-23 season will be to finish on top of the points table in the league ahead of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. European glory in the UEFA Champions League will also be on the mind of the club when the new season starts.

During the 2021-22 season, Atletico Madrid finished third on the league table, two points behind FC Barcelona and 15 points behind winners Real Madrid. They also reached the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League only to lose to Manchester City and get eliminated. 

The target will be to improve on last season and the club has a good quality of players to achieve that. Here is how the club could lineup for the 2022-23 season.

GK - Jan Oblak

Jab Oblak is one of the safest hands in world football and he will be a regular starter for the club. The 29-year-old has over 352 appearances for Atletico Madrid and will add more to the tally. Last year, Oblak kept 16 clean sheets in 50 appearances and will hope to improve on that this season.

CB - Stefan Savic

Stefan Savic is an experienced figure in the squad and will take his place in a three-man defence. The centre-back has over 233 appearances for the club since his arrival in 2015. The 31-year-old played 32 games last season, which suggests he is still an integral part of the team.

CB - Jose Gimenez

Jose Gimenez will continue to feature for Atletico Madrid despite a lot of interest in him during the transfer window. The centre-back has been at the club for nine years and has established himself as a fan favourite. He will be one of the first names on the team sheet after playing 31 matches last season.

CB - Reinildo Mandava

Reinildo Mandava is primarily a full-back but he can also play as a wide centre-back if the preseason is any indicator. The 28-year-old defender hails from Mozambique and joined the Spanish side from LOSC Lille. He was a key player in helping the French outfit win the Ligue 1 and will aim to win the La Liga this year.

RWB - Nahuel Molina

Nahuel Molina is a new arrival at the club. The Argentine has signed from Udinese for €20m. He is a fabulous right-back who can contribute in both attack and defence, thereby is a fitting right-wing back in the system that Simeone employs. Molina scored eight goals and made five assists in 37 appearances last year.

LWB - Thomas Lemar

Thomas Lemar has adjusted his gameplay well since moving to Atletico Madrid from AS Monaco back in 2018. The Frenchman is an ideal player in the left-wing back role due to his pace and work ethic. He had four goals and five assists in 23 league appearances last term. 

CDM - Geoffrey Kondogbia

Geoffrey Kondogbia is a very reliable figure in the centre of the midfield. He will be a key player for Atletico Madrid, providing excellent cover to the defence. The 29-year-old has been at the club since 2020 after signing from Valencia. He made 38 appearances in all competitions last year and will continue to be a crucial cog in the wheel.

CDM - Koke

Koke is the club captain and will be a regular starter in the middle of the park. He is a leader and vital to Atletico Madrid’s discipline on the pitch in terms of organisation. The 30-year-old is a fan favourite and a loyal servant to the club, coming through the academy ranks. He has 544 appearances for the senior team and will continue to feature in the upcoming season.

RW - Joao Felix

Joao Felix has shown good form in the preseason and the club’s record signing will aim to carry it into the season. The Portuguese arrived from SL Benfica for a whopping €127.2m in 2019 which was a record fee for a teenager. He has 28 goals and 15 assists in 109 matches for the club and will bank on the upcoming season to improve his goalscoring record.

LW - Yannick Carrasco

Yannick Carrasco will take his place as the left-wing forward and aim to provide goal contributions for the team. The winger made a sensational return to the club after returning from DL Yifang in China two years ago. He won the league in 2020-21 and won the UEFA Europa League back in 2017-18 with the club.

ST - Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann is on loan from FC Barcelona which ends at the end of the 2022-23 season with an obligation to buy. The Frenchman returned to Atletico Madrid last season after leaving in 2019 for €120m. He will certainly be one of the main figures in attack for Diego Simeone’s men. Last season, he scored eight goals and made seven assists in 38 appearances and will hope to improve on those numbers.