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The 2018/2019 European season is upon us, and the traditional curtain raiser for the new UEFA club season takes place on Wednesday as Champions League winners Real Madrid tackles Europa League champions Atletico Madrid to decide the winner of the UEFA Super Cup.
Both teams' recent successes on the continental front means that this is the most contested European match in recent years, as both capital clubs will clash in Europe for the tenth time in just four seasons.
Real Madrid earned the right to this matchup with their impressive displays in the Champions League last season, where they won the trophy for the third time in succession by defeating Liverpool 2-1 in the final.
Atletico, on the other hand, suffered a rare slump in form at the UCL group stage last season and were consequently demoted to the Europa League where they triumphed convincingly.
Real Madrid are the bookmakers favourite to retain the trophy they have won for the last two seasons, but Atletico are no pushovers, as Real themselves know, owing to their struggles against their red and white city neighbours in recent seasons.
Atletico Madrid is undoubtedly one of the strongest teams in Europe at the moment, and in Diego Simeone, they have a serial winning coach who has triumphed on two different continents.
With the calibre of players Atletico Madrid possesses, they know that on their day they can defeat anybody in the world. Here are three players Real Madrid would be wary of, who could cause them the most damage.
#3 Thomas Lemar
The World Cup-winning winger was highly sought after by a host of clubs including Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, owing to his eye-catching displays for Monaco in the French league, but it was Atletico who finally procured his services for a club record £52m fee.
The 22-year-old is a dynamic winger who possesses pace, excellent dribbling and free kick accuracy. He would offer some versatility to the Atletico attack, as he is capable of playing on either wing or through the middle.
Predominantly a left-footer, Lemar is also comfortable with his right foot and is bound to cause problems for a Real Madrid backline noted for its high affinity to leave large spaces at the back, which essentially plays to Lemar's abilities.
Though not renowned for goalscoring (he scored just 15 league goals for Monaco in 90 appearances across three seasons), it is through his passing and linkup play with which he could harm Real Madrid, and Marcelo or Carvajal would do well to keep an eye on him.
#2 Antoine Griezmann
After long being courted by Barcelona and Manchester United, it would have come as sweet music to the ears of Atletico Madrid fans when the World Cup Bronze Ball winner signed a new contract extension in June.
The 27-year-old is one of the premier forwards in world football and finished in third place of the 2016 Ballon d'Or rankings after his impressive performance in leading Atletico Madrid to the final of the Champions League where they lost to none other than Real Madrid.
A consistent goalscorer, Griezmann has scored 112 goals in 209 appearances across all competitions for 'Los Rojiblancos' since his 2014 transfer from Real Sociedad.
Having only returned from his deserved extended vacation due to his World Cup winning exertions, and lacking match fitness, the French forward is expected to start from the bench. However, Real Madrid would not take any chances against a player who has scored seven times against them, including in each of the last three seasons.
Atletico have suffered heavily in Real Madrid's hands on the European scene, and if they are to lift a continental trophy at the expense of their city rivals at the third time of asking, then Griezmann would have a huge role to play.
#1 Diego Costa
The controversial but talented Brazilian born Spanish striker returned to Atletico Madrid last season in a £57m deal, after three highly successful seasons with Chelsea in the Premier League.
Despite all his on-field antics, Diego Costa is a dangerous striker, and he will be smarting from Spain's disappointing performance at the World Cup. He will be keen to get that episode behind him by getting into form with Atletico Madrid.
His constant prodding and provocation of opponents means that he is as likely to receive a booking for dissent as an opponent is to be booked for retaliating against him, and with Sergio Ramos (himself no shrinking violet) in the Madrid defence, there is sure to be no shortage of on-field drama in the match.
Real Madrid would however be careful not to get distracted by his shenanigans, as he has the capacity to cause them real harm, evidenced by his equalizing goal in the final of the 2013 Copa Del Rey, in an eventual 2-1 victory which ensured Atletico Madrid defeated Real for the first time in 25 games (stretching back to 1999).
