Atlético Madrid

Make The Case

Here is the argument for Atlético Madrid: Spain, Spain La Liga, and a ground called Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano. A second team should give you something your first one cannot, and this is a different country's whole weather system.

• Cathedral football

  Estadio Riyadh Air Metropolitano holds around 70,692. Even a routine league game arrives with a noise floor most clubs only reach in a semi-final.

• Easy weekend

  Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) is about 7km from the ground, and Estadio Metropolitano is 0km closer still. A home fixture is a genuinely doable two-night trip.

• The calendar you inherit

  Following Spain La Liga means odd kick-off hours, a new commentary language and a table you will check before your own club's. Spain becomes part of your week.

• Old enough to matter

  1903 is the founding date, old enough that the club has survived a war, a rebuild and at least one financial scare, young enough that the good years are still in living memory.