Practically handed a world-class scorer by certainly one of its high rivals, Atletico Madrid rode the objectives of Luis Suarez burning to show his former staff incorrect and the aggressive all-for-one spirit preached by Diego Simeone to the Spanish league title.
Here’s how Atletico beat out Real Madrid and Barcelona for its first Liga crown in seven years:
A PERFECT GIFT
With Barcelona sunk in mounting debt and coming off a season with out a title, the membership in September advised Suarez _ its third all-time main scorer no much less _ that he wanted to discover a new house.
After a transfer to Italy fell by means of, Barcelona surprised its followers by promoting Suarez on a budget to Atletico to shed his wage. The switch charge that with add-ons may solely attain 6 million euros ($7 million) was a ludicrously small sum for a participant who had netted 21 objectives for Barcelona within the earlier season.
The deal proved to be a boon for Simeone. Finally, he had a ruthless finisher in Suarez who, at age 34, has misplaced quickness however maintains his killer intuition when the ball reaches him wherever close to the web. The Uruguay striker scored 21 objectives for his new membership and gave it an intimidating level of assault that additionally opened up area for his teammates.
That included winners by Suarez in each of Atletico’s remaining two matches of the season the place it was trailing. Suarez’s 88th-minute strike accomplished a 2-1 comeback win over Osasuna within the second-to-last spherical to maintain Atletico in entrance of Madrid. And none was greater than his second-half aim to finish the come-from-behind victory towards Valladolid.
After the win at Valladolid, Suarez was overcome by an outpouring of emotion that introduced collectively the enjoyment of victory and the satisfaction of getting made Barcelona remorse his exit. After embracing his teammates and coaches, Suarez sat on the turf and made a video name, apparently to his spouse and youngsters, the place he brazenly wept.
“This has been a hard season for the situation I had to go through, starting the season the way it did, being disrespected (by Barcelona) and having Atletico open its doors to me,” Suarez mentioned, talking by means of his tears after the ultimate whistle. “I will always be thankful to this great club for that. I have been in soccer for many years and I think this has been the most difficult year for me.”
THE MAN IN BLACK
Simeone’s endurance, his skill to proceed to interact his gamers and maintain their religion intact after nearly a decade answerable for the membership, is what separates the Argentine from the overwhelming majority of his teaching brethren.
Since taking on the membership in January 2012, he has by no means wavered from his mantra of going ahead “recreation by recreation,“ a message that by no means lets his gamers develop complacent or lose their concentrate on the match at hand. Nor has Simeone ever been shamed by rivals who criticize his no frills, defense-first enjoying type. While the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium was silent with out followers due to the pandemic, Simeone was nonetheless a drive as he stalked the touchline in his all-black coat and tie.
But that doesn’t imply that Simeone is totally set in his methods. After years of preferring a 4-4-2 formation, Simeone deployed a 3-5-2 this season to make use of a three-man backline. The centerback trio of Stefan Savic, Filipe Augusto and Mario Hermoso allowed wing backs Renan Lodi and Kieran Trippier push ahead and assist Koke Resureccion’s midfield. Zinedine Zidane and Ronald Koeman additionally used a three-man protection at Madrid and Barcelona, respectively. The distinction was that Atletico did so whereas not conceding extra possibilities. And when attackers did get free, there was Jan Oblak to cease them. The Slovenia goalkeeper anchored a protection that allowed a league-low 25 objectives in 38 video games.
Simeone grew to become probably the most profitable coach in his membership’s historical past together with his second league title, taking his tally to eight trophies since he remodeled Atletico right into a winner.
A critical taskmaster day in, day trip, Simeone burst into laughter after the ultimate whistle on Saturday and didn’t lose his big grin afterward. He embraced his household earlier than leaping onto the staff bus as his gamers celebrated to Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
GREAT START, GRITTY FINISH
Atletico had an amazing begin to the season, equaling a membership report within the opening half of the season _ the primary 19 rounds _ with 50 factors. That allowed the red-and-whites to open up double-digit leads over each Madrid and Barcelona. Then got here the letdown, and a bonus that appeared insurmountable shortly dwindled to simply two factors. Atletico dug in and began successful once more, whereas its rivals slipped of their chase. Atletico’s 0-0 draw at Camp Nou earlier this month sunk Barcelona’s probabilities of overtaking them on the wire.
ROLE PLAYERS
This was speculated to be Joao Felix’s 12 months to shine, offering youth and playmaking alongside Suarez’s expertise. The 21-year-old Portugal ahead, nonetheless, didn’t sustain his promising begin to the marketing campaign and fell out of Simeone’s beginning 11.
Simeone turned to the much less flashy however more practical Marcos Llorente, Angel Correa and Yannick Carrasco to assist get the objectives.
Following his breakout final season when he scored twice in Anfield to assist get rid of Liverpool from the Champions League, Llorente supplied Simeone with a flexible participant who performed as a ahead, a midfielder and a wing again. He chipped in with 12 objectives. Correa added 9 objectives, together with the equalizer towards Valladolid. And when Atletico was stumbling down the stretch, Carrasco, a speedy left-side winger, netted 4 objectives and made 4 assists down the stretch.