THE NEW ARRIVALS: Who will light up first El Clasico of the season

The Madrid Derby between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid is always a big game and their Matchday 8 duel will be too, especially as several star players were signed by these clubs during the summer transfer window.

The Madrid Derby has been graced by so many superstar players over the years, with several of world football’s greatest players having featured in the previous 174 LALIGA EA SPORTS meetings between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid.

These include Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer in the history of this derby with 22 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions, while Sergio Ramos is the player to have made the most appearances in this rivalry with 43. Raúl González is another Spanish football legend to have left his mark on this fixture, with 27 derby appearances, while Karim Benzema played in this game 39 times.

On the Atlético de Madrid side, Koke has been a mainstay with 40 appearances under his belt, while Fernando Torres is another to have made an impact on this game over the years, across two stints with the red and white club. Now, in 2024/25, there are several fresh faces looking to make a name for themselves in this fixture.

In the Atlético de Madrid ranks, they now have Julián Álvarez as a weapon they can use up front after the Argentinian goalscorer arrived from Manchester City in the summer. Boasting speed and skill, he is a nightmare for defences. So too is Alexander Sørloth, another forward who has joined Los Rojiblancos’ attack. The Norwegian striker is known for his physicality and his penalty box presence, always looking to get on the end of aerial balls.

At the other end of the pitch, Atlético de Madrid’s defence has been reinforced with the signing of Robin Le Normand, who arrived just after winning the European Championship with Spain. The centre-back, who made a name for himself at Real Sociedad, has already become a key player for Diego Simeone. Another player who is already making an impact is Conor Gallagher, the English midfielder who has arrived from Chelsea to bolster the team’s midfield. He has already demonstrated his finishing skills by scoring his first LALIGA EA SPORTS goals, against Valencia CF in Matchday 5 and against Rayo Vallecano in Matchday 6.

As for new arrivals at the Bernabéu, Kylian Mbappé has joined Real Madrid in one of the most high-profile transfers of the summer. The Frenchman, who is known for his speed and finishing abilities, has arrived to strengthen Los Blancos’ attack. Although he’ll miss this derby due to a left leg injury, he has made an impact in the first few weeks by scoring five league goals already. Even without Mbappé, Real Madrid have another new face in attack in Endrick.

The 18-year-old has already demonstrated his ability in front of goal and will look to have a breakout derby. The Brazil international only needed 10 minutes to score his first LALIGA EA SPORTS goal in his debut in the competition, after coming on as a substitute against Real Valladolid, so has shown he isn’t fazed by the big occasions.

With these new additions, the first Madrid Derby of 2024/25 promises to be one of the most exciting in recent years. Both teams have shaken up their squads by adding fresh talent, so it’ll be a high-quality spectacle when they do battle at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano on Sunday September 29th.