Sevilla arrive at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán with a spring in their step after a 2-1 friendly win over Ceuta, but let's not kid ourselves — that's a warm-up against lower-tier opposition, not a statement. Their recent La Liga form has been patchy: a 1-0 loss at Celta, a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna, and a worrying 2-0 reverse at Levante. They did grab a 3-2 win at Villarreal, but that feels like the exception rather than the rule. At home, they're usually a different beast, but this Sevilla side still looks like it's searching for an identity after a summer of transition.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, are exactly what you'd expect from a Diego Simeone team at this stage of the season: organised, battle-hardened, and quietly confident. They opened their campaign with a home win over Málaga at the Metropolitano, and the squad is buzzing with World Cup finalist Julián Álvarez and Ademola Lookman leading the line. The snippets point to a side that's ready to grind out results, and Simeone's men have that nasty habit of winning ugly — exactly what this fixture demands. Recent form across the board suggests Atletico are the sharper, more settled outfit, and that edge should show here.