The presence of several Atlético de Madrid players, such as Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Álex Baena, and Alejandro Grimaldo, in the Spanish national team coached by Luis de la Fuente in the United States is the main reason for the delay. These footballers, belonging to the Madrid club, require their three weeks of vacation stipulated by agreement with AFE.
According to statements reported by Cope Málaga, the possibility of the match being played between August 18th and 20th is being considered. LaLiga has reportedly already agreed to this rescheduling, also taking into account an event for Atlético de Madrid at the Metropolitano the following week and respecting the rest periods for the players.
The Málaga club, which will begin its preseason a few days later than most teams, could benefit from these extra days of preparation to gel the squad, especially with a transfer market advancing slowly due to the World Cup. The first match of the season will be at the Metropolitano, followed by the home game against Deportivo de La Coruña, and closing August at the Bernabéu against Real Madrid.
Given the coincidence with the month of August and the usual heat in the capital, it is likely that the match will be played from 8:00 PM onwards, a trend observed in matches held during these dates in previous years. Málaga fans are eagerly awaiting confirmation of the new dates to organize their trip to the Madrid stadium.
