Your first Atlético Madrid match: the complete guide

Start with the official sale. Atlético sell tickets for home matches on the club's website and at the ticket offices at the stadium. Season-ticket holders and members get the first chance, so general sale for big matches can be short.

Kick-off times come late. LaLiga fixes the exact day and time of each round only a few weeks ahead, and a weekend match can move from Saturday to Monday. Book flights and hotels you can change, or plan a few days in Madrid around the match.

Resale marketplaces have seats when the official sale is sold out, usually above face value. Use one with a buyer guarantee, check which stand and tier you are buying, and read the delivery terms: many tickets arrive on a phone shortly before the match.

Avoid sellers on social media and anyone asking for a bank transfer. If a deal for a derby or a Champions League night looks cheap, it is probably not real.

Which stand?

The stadium is a bowl with tiers all round. Lower tiers are closer to the pitch; the upper tier has a full view of the game and is where most visitors end up. The loudest support gathers behind the goal in the south stand.

The stadium is in the east of Madrid, in the San Blas-Canillejas district, between the city centre and the airport.

Metro line 7 stops right by the ground: the station is called Estadio Metropolitano. From the centre, change to line 7: from Sol take line 2 to Canal, or from Callao or Ópera take line 5 to Pueblo Nuevo. Line 7 also passes Avenida de América and Gregorio Marañón, handy from the Salamanca and Chamberí areas.

After the match the queues for the metro are long. Walking ten or fifteen minutes away from the stadium before looking for a taxi, or waiting half an hour in a bar nearby, saves a lot of standing.

From the airport, metro line 8 runs into the city, and you can change towards line 7; a taxi is the quick option, as the airport is on the same side of Madrid as the stadium.

By car: parking around the ground is limited on matchdays and the roads fill up. Public transport is easier.

Plan your trip with the official Metro de Madrid journey planner; lines sometimes close for works.

• Arrive early. An hour before kick-off gives you time for the security checks and to find your seat before the anthem, which the whole stadium sings.
• Bring ID and keep your ticket ready on your phone, with the brightness up.
• Travel light. Big bags, glass and bottles with caps are not allowed in; there is nowhere to leave a suitcase.
• Dress for the hour. Late kick-offs are common. Evenings are cold from November to March, and early-season matches can be very hot.
• Before the match, the streets and bars around the stadium fill with fans; it is part of the day.
• In a derby or a big European night, keep to the home areas if you wear the colours, and follow the stewards' directions.

City centre (Sol, Gran Vía, Malasaña, Huertas): the best base for a first trip, with sights, food and nightlife on foot. One change to line 7 takes you to the match.

Salamanca and around Avenida de América: calmer and smart, with line 7 straight to the stadium.

Near the stadium and the airport (Canillejas, Las Rejas, around IFEMA): practical for a short stay or an early flight, but far from the centre.

Prices go up on matchdays and during big trade fairs, so book once the date is confirmed.

The club runs a stadium tour and a museum at the Metropolitano, with the dressing room, the tunnel and the trophies. Book on the club's website; tours change or close around matchdays, so the day after the match is often a better choice than the day itself.

• The ticket: the biggest cost, and very different from one match to another.
• Metro journeys to and from the stadium, or a travel card for your days in Madrid.
• Food and drinks around the stadium before the match.
• A shirt or scarf from the club shop, if you want one.
• The stadium tour, on another day.