Taking their pre-season preparations global ahead of the 2024-25 season, Atletico Madrid will lock horns with Hong Kong outfit Kitchee at Hong Kong Stadium on Wednesday night. The Bluewaves are one of the most decorated sides in Hong Kong and will be dreaming of producing a statement performance and result versus the Spanish heavyweights.
Although Kitchee might not be a well-known club in world football - particularly compared to Wednesday's visitors Atletico Madrid - the Bluewaves are major players in the upper echelons of their national game, recently becoming the first side from Hong Kong to win a game in the AFC Champions League and progress into the last 16 of the competition.
Often referred to as the "Hong Kong Barca", Kitchee have six Hong Kong Premier League and six Hong Kong First Division titles in their trophy cabinet, with the most recent of those top-tier domestic honours arriving during the 2022-23 campaign, when they won 15 of 18 league contests.
The 2023-24 season was tricky for the Bluewaves, who could only manage fourth in the Hong Kong Premier League - finishing one point outside of AFC Champions League qualification - whilst also being knocked out at the group stage in continental competition, finishing bottom of a Champions League section consisting of Bangkok United, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Lion City Sailors.
Usually playing their home matches at the Mong Kok Stadium in front of just over 6,000 onlookers at best, Wednesday night will represent a massive change in scenery for Kitchee as they undertake host duties at Hong Kong Stadium, where over 40,000 supporters could be in attendance as the Atletico juggernaut rolls into town.
That being said, the Bluewaves are no strangers to high-profile summer clashes with some of Europe's biggest clubs, with the Hong Kong giants pitting their wits against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in 2017 and 2019, with both matches ending in comfortable victories for the Premier League visitors.
For the first time since the summer of 2012, Atletico Madrid going through their pre-season paces after finishing outside of the top three in La Liga during the previous term, with the Spanish giants placing fourth behind usual suspects Real Madrid and Barcelona as well as surprise package Girona.
Despite a below-par campaign relative to the high standards of the Colchoneros, they still finished eight points ahead of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao, meaning that Wednesday's visitors to Hong Kong have safely booked their spot in the league phase of the revamped Champions League.
It has been a summer of significant change at the Estadio Civitas Metropolitano so far, especially in the striking department, with Euro 2024 winner and Spain captain Alvaro Morata departing the club to join Italian powerhouses AC Milan after netting 28 goals across the last two La Liga terms.
Following the loss of a continental champion, Atletico Madrid recruited a replacement after just eight days, with Robin Le Normand signing for Diego Simeone's side for a fee of around £30m, whilst Alexander Sorloth has arrived from Villarreal after a 26-goal season for the Yellow Submarine.
The Colchoneros have played two domestic friendlies so far this summer ahead of taking their preparations to the global stage on Wednesday night, with Atletico recording a penalty-shootout success over third-tier Numancia before sealing a 3-1 success against top-tier rivals Getafe.
Fresh from a 16-goal season in the Hong Kong Premier League, Brazilian star Mikael is the main threat for Kitchee and will be looking to cause the Spaniards issues on Wednesday night.
The Bluewaves had a pair of players who possess English roots, with Matthew Slattery and Charlie Scott likely to start up front and in midfield respectively.
With summer arrival Sorloth set to replace Morata as the main forward, Angel Correa is fighting for a spot in the XI, and the Argentinian helped his cause with a brilliant brace in the 3-1 victory over Getafe last time out.
Youngsters Arthur Vermeeren and Javier Serrano were handed opportunities in the engine room on Saturday whilst Atletico finalise a high-profile move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.
There will be plenty of experience in the backline of a relatively-young visiting side, with Axel Witsel and Cesar Azpilicueta set to line up as part of a back three.
Kitchee possible starting lineup:Wang; Jones, Helio, Fernando, Bae; Huang, Ngan, Ichikawa, Juninho; Slattery, Mikael
Atletico Madrid possible starting lineup:Moldovan; Azpilicueta, Witsel, Kostis; Llorente, Serrano, Koke, Vermeeren, Lino; Correa, Felix
Facing superior opposition and yet to commence their own pre-season schedule, Kitchee are seriously up against it as they look to spring a major surprise on Wednesday night.
Atletico Madrid's experience and quality in attacking areas should be too much for the hosts, resulting in a comfortable success for the Colchoneros at Hong Kong Stadium. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Event organizer Kitchee had earlier announced that Griezmann and De Paul would be part of the tour, but both players were later ruled out due to “medical reasons” and De Paul being on leave, as per his contract with Atletico.
Despite the absence of key players, Kitchee owner Ken Ng Kin has defended the club's decision to proceed with the friendly, emphasizing that over 80 percent of Atletico's main players have arrived in Hong Kong and that the game is still a major event for the city.
The friendly match is an “M” Mark event, signifying its status as a major sports event in Hong Kong. However, the situation highlights the need for organizers to clearly outline the player lineup in future contracts to avoid similar controversies in the future.
Despite the controversy, Atletico Madrid's visit to Hong Kong has been a positive experience for the club and its fans. The team has held training sessions, enjoyed a tram tour with fans and donated US$150,000 to the Hong Kong Premier League Committee Youth Development Fund, further strengthening the ties between the club and the city.
