Manchester United takes on Atletico Madrid in a Club Friendly at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm on Saturday, August 1, with kickoff scheduled for 15:00 CEST. The match forms part of both clubs' preparations for the 2026-27 season, offering another opportunity to build fitness, evaluate squads and finalize tactical plans before competitive action begins. Manchester United enters the match with several injury concerns but is expected to feature key players including Bryan Mbeumo, Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw. Atletico Madrid arrives with a fully available squad led by Jan Oblak, Koke, Marcos Llorente, Robin Le Normand and Ademola Lookman. The fixture also renews a recent rivalry between the two clubs, with Atletico Madrid holding the advantage in the head-to-head record after two wins and one draw from their previous three meetings. Both managers will use the friendly to assess squad depth, integrate new signings and provide valuable minutes to first-team and academy players ahead of the new season. ## What happened? Manchester United is expected to start in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Vitek in goal. Tyler Fredricson, Yoro, Harry Maguire, Heaven and Luke Shaw are projected to form the defensive unit. The midfield is expected to feature Santos, Lacey, Joshua Zirkzee, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu, while new signing Bryan Mbeumo is set to lead the attack. The Premier League side will be without Kobbie Mainoo, Youri Tielemans, Manuel Ugarte and Matthijs de Ligt, all of whom remain unavailable through injury. Atletico Madrid is expected to line up in a 4-5-1 formation with Jan Oblak starting in goal. Ruggeri, Hancko, Robin Le Normand and Martín are projected to make up the back four. Ademola Lookman, Morten Hjulmand, Koke, Marcos Llorente and Mendoza are expected to feature across midfield, while Domínguez is projected to lead the attack. Unlike Manchester United, Atletico Madrid has no unavailable players and enters the match with a full-strength squad as it continues preparations for the 2026-27 campaign. ## Why it matters for Manchester United Manchester United's squad depth will be put to the test in this match, with several key players expected to feature despite injury concerns. The Red Devils will be looking to build fitness and evaluate their squad depth ahead of the new season. ## What comes next? The match is now underway, with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid currently locked at 0-0 in Stockholm. Follow along for live score updates, key moments and match statistics as the action unfolds. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 3rd in Premier League, 58 pts, 16W-10D-7L from 33 games, recent form WLDWL. Goals this season: 58 scored, 45 conceded (+13 goal difference). Next fixture: vs Brighton (at home, 2027-02-10).