Atletico Madrid’s constant battle to match Real, Barcelona

At the beginning of each season, LaLiga followers ask the identical query: Will this be one more head-to-head title race between the 2 giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona? Or will Atletico Madrid mount a severe third-party problem for the crown?

Over the previous 10 years, Atletico have constantly punched above their weight. Under coach Diego Simeone they’ve gained the league twice — in 2014 and 2021 — and completed second in 2018 and 2019, breaking apart the large two. They have not completed exterior the highest three since 2012.

It’s probably the most constant spell within the membership’s historical past, however improved efficiency has raised expectations. Atletico at the moment are anticipated to compete for the LaLiga title — or at the very least keep inside touching distance of Madrid and Barca, pushing all of them season lengthy. Atletico are additionally anticipated to attain the latter phases of the Champions League, as they did in 2014 and 2016 after they made it via to the ultimate.

Stream reside on ESPN+: Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid (Sunday, 2 p.m. ET, US solely)

Last season noticed Atletico at each their greatest and their worst. In LaLiga they put collectively an distinctive second half of the marketing campaign, choosing up 43 factors in 18 video games — 5 greater than league winners Barca. But within the Champions League, they crashed out on the group stage for simply the second time in a decade.

Ahead of Sunday’s derby with Real Madrid, ESPN examines Atletico’s prospects this season, their causes for optimism and a few worrying indicators from the marketing campaign to date.

Take a take a look at Atletico’s previous three outcomes, and you will be scratching your head attempting to draw any conclusions.

They gained 7-0 at Rayo Vallecano on Aug. 28, their greatest league win since 2016. A press release win, you would possibly name it. Four completely different forwards — Antoine Griezmann, Memphis Depay, Álvaro Morata and Ángel Correa — obtained on the scoresheet. A staff recognized for his or her stifling defensive mindset beneath Simeone now seemed like they had been having enjoyable.

Two weeks later, an unrecognisable Atletico misplaced 3-0 to Valencia, a staff tipped for relegation. Simeone referred to as it “possibly the weakest game since I’ve been at the club,” a run that started virtually 12 years in the past, when he took cost in December 2011. The end result leaves Atletico on seven factors from 4 matches, eight factors behind leaders Real, albeit with a sport in hand.

On Tuesday, Atletico had been seconds away from seeing out a priceless 1-0 win at Lazio of their opening Champions League Group E sport when goalkeeper Ivan Provedel headed in a spectacular, Ninety fifth-minute equaliser for the Serie A aspect. It was a particular second for Lazio and nice enjoyable for the neutrals, however a catastrophe for an Atletico aspect determined to keep away from a repeat of final season’s group stage battle.

So an easy win, a shambolic defeat and a draw that was unforgettable for all of the improper causes, all in fast succession. Will the actual Atletico Madrid please rise up?

Atletico followers have gotten used to excessive highs and lows. Simeone has definitely raised the usual on the membership, however for each outstanding LaLiga title or massive European night time, there’s an embarrassing Copa del Rey defeat to a lower-league staff — Cornella in 2021, Cultural Leonesa in 2020 — or a determined scramble to salvage a season with a top-four end.

There’s additionally a constant rigidity between Simeone’s underdog instincts — expressed via his conservative, safety-first method — and Atletico’s actuality because the established third power in Spanish soccer, Champions League regulars with a 70,000-capacity stadium.

In current years, a well-recognized sample has emerged. “The team will adopt a more attractive, attacking style,” the story goes. “Simeone is evolving. There will be room for flair as well as function.” These concepts are mirrored in switch enterprise, as Atletico signal gamers who recommend a change of mindset: trendy midfielder Thomas Lemar arrived from Monaco for a €70 million payment in 2018, with precocious ahead João Félix arriving for a club-record €126m in 2019.

Then because the season goes on and stress begins to construct as a result of Atletico’s monetary well being is dependent upon Champions League qualification — one thing Simeone has achieved for 11 years in a row — the staff goes again to fundamentals and extra defensive soccer.

The 2022-23 season introduced further issues. Every staff had to get used to the concept of a midseason World Cup in Qatar, however Atletico appeared notably affected, dropping factors in half their LaLiga video games earlier than the break in November.

Quite a lot of gamers — like Argentina’s Rodrigo de Paul and Nahuel Molina, for instance — appeared extra centered on being match and eligible for his or her nationwide groups. Picking up an harm and lacking the possibility to be part of Lionel Messi’s quest for World Cup glory did not bear excited about. “A lot of them were distracted,” a supply shut to the dressing room instructed ESPN.

The World Cup wasn’t Atletico’s solely early season handicap. A dispute with Barcelona over the phrases of a deal to make Griezmann’s mortgage everlasting noticed the membership’s management even ask Simeone to bench his star participant as a negotiating tactic. Atletico had been obliged to pay Barca €40m if Griezmann performed 45 minutes or extra in half of the matches for which he was obtainable, a payment they had been reluctant to meet.

By October, a compromise had been reached with Barca and Simeone was free to construct the staff round Griezmann, who responded by turning into the perfect, most influential outfield participant in LaLiga, racking up 15 objectives and 16 assists in 2022-23. “Antoine is essential,” a supply shut to the dressing room instructed ESPN. “He’s an example for everyone. He’s the first to defend, and the first to attack. He’s very important for the group and for [Simeone].”

Griezmann matches right into a long-term tactical shift which started in 2020, when Simeone started switching from the inflexible 4-4-2 formation he favoured earlier in his reign to a extra versatile 3-5-2. It’s a system which permits for defensive solidity whereas getting the perfect out of attacking wingbacks like Kieran Trippier, who had been key to the 2021 league title win, however left for Newcastle final yr, and Yannick Carrasco, who left for Saudi Arabia this month, and Molina.

There was additionally a concerted effort, beginning in January 2023, to transfer on gamers who had misplaced religion or did not match into the Simeone venture. Club-record signing João Félix was first on the record, loaned to Chelsea earlier than becoming a member of Barcelona this summer time. He admitted this week that he “didn’t adapt to the club’s, or the coach’s, ideas.”

“With Cholo, you’re either with him or you’re not,” a supply shut to the dressing room instructed ESPN utilizing Simeone’s nickname “Cholo,” which he acquired in his youth enjoying days. “There are no shades of grey. When there’s somebody who doesn’t want to be at the same level as the rest of the group, the collective ends up resenting it. Everybody giving 100% is key. No black sheep.”

It’s is perhaps no coincidence that alongside Felix, fellow Portuguese audio system Felipe, Matheus Cunha and Renan Lodi have additionally left the membership this yr.

With the World Cup up to now, Griezmann absolutely assimilated and dissenting voices exiled, Atletico put collectively a 13-game unbeaten run between January and April 2023. The streak meant they completed third, 11 factors behind champions Barcelona and one behind Real Madrid — their poor begin had left them with an excessive amount of to do — however with a way of readability and confidence forward of this season.

“Last year at the start it was hard for us,” Griezmann instructed journalists on a name organised by ESPN and LaLiga final month. “After the World Cup, everyone thought about what they’d done well or done badly. We came back with a desire to improve … We have the group, the coach and the fans to do something big and we’ll aim as high as possible.”

This summer time’s switch market was essential, strengthening Atletico with the arrival of a level-headed, veteran chief like César Azpilicueta, and the membership managing to hold De Paul and Molina. But the lack of Carrasco was a blow, as was the failure to signal a deep-lying midfielder.

“Our idea is to sign a central midfielder to strengthen in that area of the pitch,” CEO Miguel Angel Gil stated in August. They did not. And an harm disaster means Atletico now go into Sunday’s derby with Real Madrid alarmingly brief in midfield.

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Memphis Depay scores gorgeous purpose from distance for Atletico Madrid

Memphis Depay places a lovely purpose within the high proper nook to give Atletico Madrid the lead.

Captain Koke has been absent since he was injured simply seven minutes into the brand new season. De Paul was harm on worldwide obligation with Argentina. Lemar suffered an Achilles tendon rupture within the Valencia sport. Pablo Barrios and Axel Witsel each went off with discomfort in Rome.

A house win in opposition to Real Madrid, who’ve a 100% document to date, would get Atletico’s season again on observe. Defeat would go away them with an 11-point deficit, an unwelcome reminder of final season’s gradual begin. Either method, Simeone will stick to his notorious “partido a partido,” or “game by game” mantra.

“You know what our philosophy is,” midfielder Saúl Ñíguez stated at a LaLiga occasion final week. “Whenever we’ve thought long-term, we’ve got it wrong, we’ve made mistakes. We don’t want that to happen again … We’ll see at the end of the season if we’re candidates, or favourites, or whatever our level is.”

Even after a decade of going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid and Barcelona, there is a reluctance at Atletico to take that as the established order, or to settle for the concept of a degree enjoying discipline.

“We’re never candidates for anything,” a supply shut to the dressing room instructed ESPN. “We have to be ready for when Barca and Madrid slip up. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen every year.”