Real Oviedo - Atlético Madrid: Simeone’s side back in La Liga after 4-1 Champions League win

Emerson Raymont

Published: February 28, 2026 2:31 PM ET

Real Oviedo - Atlético Madrid meets on Saturday in jornada 26 at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, with Atlético arriving buoyed by a 4-1 victory over Club Brujas (25/02/26) that sent them into the Champions League round of 16.

Real Oviedo - Atlético Madrid

Atlético de Madrid bring a string of emphatic results into the weekend: the 4-1 win over Club Brujas (25/02/26) followed a 4-2 victory over Espanyol (21/02/26) and a 4-0 win against Barcelona (12/02/26), while they also drew 3-3 away at Brujas (18/02/26) earlier in the month. Those scores underline the offensive form Diego Simeone's side showed in recent fixtures as they refocus on La Liga.

Almada warns Simeone will field a top XI

Guillermo Almada has said the team Diego Pablo Simeone selects "will be first-rate, " stressing that any Atlético lineup will pose a serious challenge. Almada also cautioned about training loads and player fatigue with matches coming in quick succession, noting the difficulty of raising intensity when games fall three per week.

Oviedo’s form, injuries and likely XI

Real Oviedo sit last in the table with 17 points, eight behind Elche CF, the first side outside the relegation zone. Oviedo salvaged an injury-time draw against Real Sociedad to keep fighting for survival, but the club has won just one of its last 17 matches and has not lost at home since October (0-2 vs Espanyol).

Almada confirmed defensive concerns: Eric Bailly "does not arrive in the best physical condition" and David Costas will miss the match. The possible Oviedo lineup listed in a 4-5-1 shape was Aaron Escandell; Nacho Vidal, Eric Bailly, David Carmo, Javi Lopez; Kwasi Sibo, Nicolás Fonseca, Haissem Hassan, Santi Cazorla, Ilyas Chaira; Federico Vinas.

For Atlético the immediate consequence of the recent European results is a focus shift back to domestic competition, where momentum from a Champions League last-16 qualification — sealed by the 4-1 win over Club Brujas on 25/02/26 — will be tested in La Liga's jornada 26 at the Carlos Tartiere.

The match is scheduled for Saturday at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere in jornada 26; managers and squads will reveal final lineups ahead of kickoff, and both teams have clear stakes: Atlético to carry European confidence into the domestic slate, and Oviedo to try to climb out of the relegation positions.