Málaga faces Atlético de Madrid with seven injury absences for season opener

Málaga faces a significant challenge as they prepare for their return to LaLiga EA Sports, with seven players currently unavailable due to injury. The team is set to begin their top-flight campaign on Wednesday, August 19, with an away match against Atlético de Madrid.

The latest player to be sidelined is forward Adrián Niño, who suffered a muscular issue in his right calf during the recent friendly against Fulham. This adds to a growing list of absentees that includes midfielder Carlos Dotor, who sustained a right knee ligament sprain, and defender Fernando Calero, who fractured three ribs in the same match against Ceuta. Midfielders Aaron Ochoa and Juanpe Jiménez are also undergoing specific training due to knee issues, while defenders Diego Murillo and Moussa Diarra are recovering from knee and muscular problems, respectively.

Málaga, a team from southern Spain, secured their promotion back to the top division after a preseason that saw mixed results. They drew three matches against Leicester, Al-Ittihad, and Fulham, secured one victory against Al Arabi, and suffered a defeat to Ceuta. The team completed its second of four planned training sessions before the league opener on Saturday.