Atletico Madrid's ideal starting XI for 2018/19 season

Midfielders

Saul Niguez and Koke

Four academy players will battle for two centre-midfield spots: Koke, Saul Niguez, Thomas Partey and Rodri. Gabi has joined Qatari side Al Sadd and because of that, Thomas Partey should be a regular starter this season.

Partey perfectly fits into Atletico's system. Last season, he was brilliant. He is so comfortable with the ball and he has great passing skills.

Him and Saul Niguez will form a very dynamic duo in the midfield. They will complement each other so well. Saúl’s main strength is his ability to find and exploit space.

Rodri has played in Atletico Madrid's academy, before moving to Villareal. This summer, Rodrigo came back to Atletico for a transfer fee around €20m.

He is a player with bags of potential but it is hard to believe that he is going to be a starter in his first season. Despite that, he is a perfect rotational option for Saul and Partey in the middle.

Koke will probably play on the right. Simeone likes to have a player on the wing that can come inside to help in defensive duties and Koke is the perfect option in that regard.

Gelson Martins came to Atletico Madrid this summer from Sporting Lisbon. He has some good abilities like speed and dribbling as well and he will be an excellent option from the bench.

Yannick Carrasco went to China last season, so they had to find a good replacement on the left wing, and Thomas Lemar was a perfect choice.

In 2016/17 season, Lemar was one of the key players for Monaco. They won the Ligue 1 trophy and Lemar scored 9 goals and also provided 11 assists in 34 appearances. On the other side, the Frenchman had a quiet second season at Monaco but he is young enough to be in the plans for next 5 years.

He is a perfect wide playmaker for Cholo's 4-4-2 formation because he will add creativity from the wide areas. Also, he will add some intelligent movement into the half space.