Atletico Madrid and their merry band of resolute warriors

By David Lee Wheatley
@davewh1980

 

Bayern Munich struggled to break Atletico Madrid down in the opening leg of their Champions League semi-final tie, but they’re certainly not the first to do so.

Diego Simeone’s men carved out a 1-0 lead on Wednesday evening to take into the second leg at Bayern’s Allianz Arena next week.

They did it in part due to a wonderful show of individual skill by exciting 21-year-old midfielder Saul Niguez that put Atleti in front, prior to a defensive display full of grit and determination to eventually get the job done.

That result and performance should not have come as a surprise to anyone, not least visiting coach Pep Guardiola, who has now lost on three occasions to Atletico in his managerial career.

The so-called poorer city neighbours of glamorous Real are causing ripples both domestically and in continental competition, which could yet see them claim a hugely significant double this season.

Atletico Madrid boast one the very best defensive units across Europe’s big-five leagues on 16 goals conceded in 35 games played, with only last night’s opponents Bayern having conceded less [14] in that category.

In addition, the Spanish capital side have kept more clean sheets than any other team participating in the continent’s top-five domestic championships, owing to an outstanding 33 shut-outs in 52 all-competition outings.

The Rojiblancos haven’t allowed any goals in 14 of their latest 16 Champions League matches contested at the Vicente Calderon.

A key factor in everything they achieved during their stunning 2013-14 campaign, in which they won La Liga and reached the finale of Europe’s premier competition, was team spirit.

Working hard for the shirt, for each other and also for their popular head coach Simeone was central to their success – and that collective soul has remained under the enthusiastic Argentine.

Alongside an obvious togetherness within the tight-knit Atleti squad, there are several specific traits which allow the Colchoneros to thrive.

Central midfielders Lucas Fernandez and captain Gabi work in tandem to such a degree that they rarely stray more than a few feet away from one another, whilst hunting furiously for the ball.

Their impervious back-line, marshalled superbly by Stefan Savic, have allowed the least amount of shots against them per game [9.6] and made the highest amount of tackles per match [24.5] overall in La Liga this term.   

Former Fiorentina centre-back Savic, who singularly failed to impress during a previous stint at English Premier League outfit Manchester City, has proved to be a stand-out performer since arriving in Spain last summer. His club have not lost any of their 16 matches with the Montenegrin in the starting line-up across all competitions.

Meanwhile, Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak is the stopper with most shut-outs in a single European Cup season for the Madrid-based club on eight, since Miguel Reina posted seven in 1973-74.

Furthermore, Oblak has repelled the last 16 on-target shots he has been forced to deal with at home in the Champions League, including seven versus Die Roten on Wednesday.

Those combined efforts were in stark evidence at the Calderon during their titanic clash against Bayern, which stopped Guardiola’s free-scoring Bavarians from notching an away goal despite enjoying 74 per cent of possession.

With Barcelona’s sudden wobble at the top of Spain’s Primera Division having left the door ajar for Atleti to clamber back into the title race, plus their heroics in European action, it’s wholly conceivable that this roughhouse group of dedicated footballers could upset the applecart as they have done so many times in the past.

 

And, with the effervescent Diego Simeone kicking and heading every ball as he watches on proudly, who would bet against them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Champions' League final countdown: The Managers - Diego Simeone

By David Lee Wheatley

Atletico head coach Diego Simeone has garnered a tremendous reputation as a manager during the last two-and-a-half years in charge of the club he once represented as a player.

Following two Argentine championships with Estudiantes and River Plate, the call to take over at his former side came in December 2011 after a short spell at the helm of Italian outfit Catania. Simeone immediately set about the task with relish and led Atleti to a Europa League trophy in his first season back at the Vicente Calderon. A UEFA Super Cup medal was added soon after, but nothing could have prepared the club's vociferous supporters for what treats lay ahead.

Simeone was a hard-tackling central midfielder who played an integral part in the league and domestic cup double of 1996, which was in fact the last occasion that Atletico lifted La Liga. Thanks largely to his unshakeable belief, utter determination and brilliant man-management skills, the ex-Argentine international became the driving force behind an unlikely return to the top of the Spanish game on a tight budget and against all the odds. The 44-year-old has created a remarkable team spirit amongst his squad, while installing a tactical plan that makes his side tremendously tough to break down.

They tend to set-up shop in an old-fashioned 4-4-2 formation, with the physicality of deadly striker Diego Costa absolutely crucial to their ambitions of victory. However, the 25-year-old has been struggling with injury and remains a slight doubt. Simeone will be desperate to include him in his first eleven and it is widely expected that Costa will indeed take his place in the starting line-up.

The extreme reliability of Atletico's back-four has been a feature of their campaign this term, with Simeone able to select a settled defence throughout the season. Juanfran and Luis are effective wing-backs on the right and left respectively, while Godin and the much-improved Miranda have arguably been one of the finest centre-back pairings in Europe. Meanwhile, the tall and agile on-loan keeper Thibaut Courtois has been in sublime form throughout his three-year spell at the club. Real Madrid's wonderful array of attacking talent will certainly have their work cut out to get the better of their disciplined opponents.

Myriad options exist in Atletico's midfield, with Arda Turan seemingly fit after a knock, thus handing Simeone yet another boost. Gabi, Suarez, Sosa, Koke, Diego and Tiago will all be looking to secure a spot from the beginning of the Lisbon final, but only four will make it. I believe Turan and Koke will be on the wings, as the experienced duo Tiago and captain Gabi sit in the centre of the park. Then, either David Villa or, more likely, Raul Garcia will be in the frame to sit off Diego Costa in a deeper position.

It will take another Herculean effort from Simeone's men to claim an historic double after a draining league season that has sapped much of the squad's energy, thus leaving behind a group of players who're a little bruised and battered from their exertions. However, they have claimed a win and a draw during the league campaign against their arch-rivals and, if anyone can motivate the team to lift themselves once more, it is Diego Simeone.

His team will look to sit deep, flood midfield and hit their opponents on the counter-attack at every opportunity. They've proved themselves to be the best side in Spain this season over 38 games, while knocking out European heavyweights such as Chelsea, Barcelona and Milan on their journey to the Champions' League final. Despite Real Madrid shading the betting as slight favourites, it is clearly conceivable to envisage a night which will unfold with the newly-crowned Spanish kings coming away from Lisbon with the spoils yet again.

This glittering season has already exceeded the club's wildest expectations, so why can't the dream continue just a little longer?

Twitter: @davewh1980

Madrid masters to meet in Lisbon final

By David Lee Wheatley

Atletico Madrid swept Chelsea aside last night with an abundant display of power, pace and control which left Mourinho's men trailing in their wake.

It was yet another fabulous performance from the Spanish league leaders that confirmed their position as one of the leading teams in European football and further enhanced the growing reputation of Argentine head coach Diego Simeone.

The last occasion when these two sides met at Stamford Bridge resulted in the Blues easing past their rivals with an emphatic 4-0 victory during the 2009/10 group stages, but Chelsea faced a very different beast this time and they simply couldn't cope with the relentless pressure placed upon them in the second half of the match.

Fernando Torres, a former Atletico star and still an ardent fan, handed the lead to his current club after 36 minutes with a smart 15-yard finish - aided by a slight Miranda deflection - following a neat cross from the right by Azpilicueta. The Madrid native refused to celebrate out of respect, but his precious goal gave Chelsea something tangible to defend after a tedious 0-0 draw in the Spanish capital last week.

At that stage, the 2012 Champions of Europe were shading affairs with two-thirds of possession in their favour and appeared to be in the ascendancy. However, sloppy defending a minute prior to half-time completely altered the complexion of the tie when Adrian hit his close-range strike into the deck before it looped up into the roof of the net. It could've all been avoided had Eden Hazard switched on when tracking back, but his lack of focus allowed easy passage for wing-back Juanfran to send the ball across the box and with three other statuesque Chelsea defenders unable to clear, Adrian was left with a relatively straightforward finish.

John Terry came close to restoring the hosts advantage with a towering header eight minutes after the restart, but Chelsea employee Thibaut Courtois got down quickly to complete a crucial save for Atletico. It must have been a sickening blow for Mourinho knowing that a decision made last summer to leave the Belgian on loan in Spain for a third term on the trot has backfired so spectacularly, with the 21-year-old proving a key component of this wildly successful Atletico campaign.

Sub Samuel Eto'o made his way on to the field shortly afterwards and his opening contribution was to clumsily fell prolific forward Diego Costa in the penalty area. The same player jumped up to take the kick after a lengthy delay, during which the fearsome striker scuffed and scraped the penalty spot substantially with his studs due to the slight movement of the ball each time he placed it on the pitch, and then proceeded to vanquish any jitters he may have suffered to bury it into the top left-hand corner.

Chelsea were frustrated moments later when David Luiz's effort came back off the post with keeper Courtois beaten all ends up and they were made to rue that miss when conceding again at the other end.

Hazard was caught sleeping at the back once more on 72 minutes when Juanfran ghosted in at the far post unopposed before floating in a superb cross for the unmarked Arda Turan to attack. His splendid onrushing header cannoned off the crossbar, but a slice of luck saw the rebound fall kindly to the feet of Turan and he tucked it away smartly to seal the deal for the impressive visitors.

Simeone's team took total charge thereafter, with Chelsea chasing shadows for the most part. It showed great intelligence from a side brimming with confidence to protect and care for the ball in such a competent manner, as they now approach the zenith of their most remarkable season in decades.

A long 40-year wait for Atletico to reach a Champions' Cup final is over, while the upcoming clash also represents the very first same-city derby to take place in any European final. Meanwhile, they remain just two wins away from La Liga glory domestically above their celebrated Madrid neighbours.

History beckons for the Rojiblancos and their highly-rated leader Simeone, who has transformed the fortunes of a squad that were languishing within mid-table obscurity when he arrived in December 2011. They couldn't have believed such a remarkable renaissance was possible when he came on board initially, but the former defensive midfielder has far exceeded expectations thus leaving the club teetering on the brink of their most successful period ever.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Champions' League club focus: Atlético Madrid

By David Lee Wheatley

Outsiders Atlético Madrid have forged a reputation for upsetting the odds in recent years under highly-rated head coach Diego Simeone and they will aim to do just that once again when facing Chelsea over two legs in the Champions' League semi-finals which commence next week.

Since Simeone's arrival in December 2011, Atlético have won three trophies of great significance (Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Copa del Rey) while firmly establishing themselves within La Liga's top three. A 3rd-place finish last season has been followed by a league-leading performance this campaign which threatens to knock more illustrious rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid off their domestic perch. Should Atléti keep up their current league form, then a first Spanish championship since 1996 could well be on the cards.

In staying atop the standings in Spain and putting Barcelona to the sword at the last-eight stage of the Champions' League, the lesser fancied Madrid side have proved they have the quality to claim at least one major trophy this season and could arguably be considered slight favourites against a Chelsea team that often appear strong defensively but toothless in attack. Just to spice matters up even further, Atlético's star striker Diego Costa is said to be on Mourinho's wish-list as part of a projected summer spending spree.

Favouring a solid 4-4-2 formation, Simeone has set about constructing a well-organised and efficient side during just over two years at the helm. On-loan Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has been in sterling form throughout three consecutive seasons at the Vicente Calderón and is eligible to face his parent club, according to UEFA sources.

Full-back Juanfran provides a threat going forward, while the dependable Godin has struck up a very strong partnership in the centre with the vastly improved Miranda. Turkish international Arda Turan is a hard-working wide midfielder who pops up with the occasional goal at opportune moments, with Tiago and Gabi performing heroics alongside him in the middle of the park. The versatile Koke knows his way to goal, usually from a left-sided role, and has been receiving admiring glances from the Premier League thanks to his displays.

Simeone has plentiful options, too, with the returning Diego back at the club from Wolfsburg and forward Raúl García able to slot in up-front or as an attacking midfielder. The Argentine even shrugged off the sizeable loss of superstar Radamel Falcao to Monaco last summer by handing top-billing to Diego Costa and also drafting in experienced forward David Villa. The combative Costa has plundered 26 league strikes this term, with another seven so far in European competition; little wonder that Chelsea have their eyes on a £50m deal at the end of the campaign. For now though, the naturalised Spaniard originally hailing from Lagarto near the east coast of Brazil shall continue to lead the line as the destructive driving force of this impressive outfit. Their chief dangerman did suffer a nasty cut to his leg after colliding with a post when scoring against Getafe recently, but is certain to start on Tuesday according to his manager.

The Rojiblancos are three points clear in the race for the Spanish title and have proved more than a match for both Milan and Barcelona in the Champions' League, so won't be afraid of an inconsistent Chelsea side still searching for their best forward line this late in proceedings. Cahill and Terry will have to be at their best to keep Costa quiet, while the Spaniards will be hoping David Luiz plays in front of them due to his penchant for coming a cropper. Meanwhile, Demba Ba or the fading Samuel Eto'o will need to be at their absolute best to unlock the opposition rearguard whomever gets the nod, with former Atléti terrace hero Fernando Torres still unable to reach his peak of years past.

Atlético's players will cover every blade of grass for one another, closing down space, putting their foot into tackles and harassing Chelsea off the ball. Once they gain possession, they like to get it wide and utilise the whole width of the pitch. Chelsea's defenders should expect a tough night in the air from Costa, while also having to be alert when the ball breaks to any Madrid star around the edge of the box, as they will happily shoot from distance at any given opportunity.

It all points to a fascinating contest given additional zest by the various links between the clubs, with transfer rumours surrounding Costa and Courtois swirling around alongside José Mourinho's prior allegiance to Atlético's local rivals Real for a turbulent three-year period.

If the west Londoners thought they got the easiest draw in comparison with possibly meeting mighty contenders Real or Bayern at this final four stage of the tournament, they should think again.

Twitter: @davewh1980

Analysis: Champions' League quarter-final draw

 

 

By David Lee Wheatley

The Champions League quarter-final draw handed Manchester United a mighty difficult task in order to overcome holders Bayern, while the other remaining English representatives Chelsea will undoubtedly fancy their chances against French league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

An all-Spanish tie between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid appears almost too close to call, with both sides separated by just one point in La Liga at time of writing. Meanwhile, Real Madrid make up an extremely powerful trio of clubs from that country and would seem heavy favourites to sweep opponents Borussia Dortmund aside.

United woke up from their season-long slumber when defeating Greek side Olympiakos 3-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday, thus coming back from a 2-0 first-leg deficit. The first 60 minutes of that second-leg clash were played at a frantic pace from the off and saw the home side cruising thanks to an impressive Robin van Persie hat-trick. However, they had to survive a sprinkling of shaky moments before finally seeing out the game and dumping the plucky Greeks out of the tournament.

Their prize for struggling through is a daunting meeting with current holders Bayern Munich, with United hosting the Bundesliga giants first of all. The only way David Moyes’ men will survive in the competition is by establishing a lead to take to Germany; otherwise it is curtains for the fading Manchester giants. However, even getting their noses in front will prove easier said than done and would be a major turn-up for the books in itself given the Red Devils shocking league form overall this campaign.

Bayern have swept all before them domestically once again, while seeing off the challenge of Arsenal with great ease at the last-16 stage in Europe. Despite the draw pitting them against three-time European champions United, the Bavarian bulldozer seems set to roll on regardless under the canny guidance of renowned tactician Pep Guardiola. The former Barcelona captain is looking to secure his third Champions’ League crown as a coach and won’t be fazed by the prospect of facing up to a team evidently shorn of confidence and possibly the services of the injured van Persie.

Chelsea never left second gear when putting Galatasaray to the sword in the last round against a side with an aging Didier Drogba leading the line against his beloved former club, plus the ineffective Wesley Sneijder in midfield; a once-feted footballer whose star has fallen alarmingly since his apparent peak four years ago under Jose Mourinho at Inter. It was oh-so-easy for the Blues to dissect the Turks’ defence in winning by a comfortable 3-1 aggregate margin and that victory will give 2012 champions Chelsea a great boost as they size up their next assignment.

Led by talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paris Saint-Germain are eleven points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and demolished Bayer Leverkusen 6-1 over two legs, with an especially one-sided 4-0 victory coming their way in Germany. Though they possess a fearsome strike-force and a commanding lead domestically, they will find the Stamford Bridge outfit a much tougher nut to crack; wily old Mourinho is a master at stifling opposition strengths, while exposing their weaknesses at will. Additionally, he and the majority of his squad hold the invaluable experience of claiming continental trophies over a number of years and collectively they form a formidable obstacle for the Parisian artisans to successfully negotiate.

It’s likely that Barcelona will be slight favourites going into battle against compatriots Atletico, but only marginally so. In fact, with ten matches left to play, Madrid’s so-called second side sit one point above their more illustrious rivals in La Liga following a fantastic season so far. They underwent a slight wobble when managing just one triumph in four fixtures, including surprise losses to minnows Almeria and Osasuna, but bounced back by securing two league wins on the trot most recently and knocking a severely demoralised Milan out of the Champions’ League.

Atletico will feel they have a strong chance of conquering their fellow title contenders from Catalonia, but must play both legs at the very height of their powers if they wish to progress. Barcelona have also suffered two unusual defeats in the last four games against Real Sociedad and Valladolid, thus falling four points behind leaders Real Madrid and giving Atletico hope. However, they swatted away widely-touted pretenders to their throne Manchester City without much fuss in the round of 16 and are seasoned campaigners at the top table of European competition in comparison with Diego Simeone’s men. It’s likely to be a tight fixture between the two Spanish clubs and will probably be won by the odd goal either way.

Last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund squeaked past Zenit in making their way to the quarter-finals, but they will go into their match-up with Real Madrid with a measure of trepidation. The legendary Galacticos have not lost a La Liga game since 26^th October, a defeat which arrived in the last El Clasico, and look odds-on to lift the league championship trophy come the end of the campaign. Of course, the second instalment of Real-Barca takes place tomorrow evening and that could determine the destination of the title.

Complimentary to their sparking domestic displays, Real also thrashed Schalke 9-2 on aggregate to make it into the last-eight and will aim to do a similar job on a Dortmund side that don’t appear quite as strong as they were during 2012/13. The 1997 winners are miles behind Bayern in the Bundesliga – as they found themselves last campaign – and also looked decidedly porous at the back in leaking a total of four goals to the beleaguered Russians, who sacked manager Luciano Spalletti on 11^th March after a run of one victory in eleven matches. A 5-4 aggregate advantage for the side from Germany's industrial heartland is hardly the stuff of potential European kings.

 

Barring a minor miracle, Carlo Ancelotti’s charges will be in the hat for the semi-final stage of the world’s greatest club competition, as they attempt to justify the bookies’ faith in their ability to claim the glory on offer.

 

Twitter: @davewh1980

Could Villa be Atleti's trump card?

By David Lee Wheatley

Atletico Madrid began the season impressively with an away victory at Sevilla last weekend, before drawing one-all with Barcelona in the Super Cup first leg. Last night, they turned Rayo Vallecano over at the Vicente Calderon with an easy 5-0 win rounding-off an encouraging opening week for the capital club.

There were fears regarding the fall-out from the loss of superstar striker Radamel Falcao to Monaco this summer, but Atleti's form has allayed those worries thus far. Diego Costa stepped up to the mark in front of goal with a double in Seville and another strike yesterday evening, while Turan and Raul Garcia also look the part.

Bargain signing David Villa has been highly influential after moving from Barcelona and managed to score against his former club during the midweek Super Copa fixture with a fabulous volley. Although he hasn't scored in the two league matches played up to now, he's been heavily involved in much of Atletico's best football and helped his new team to a 100% start to the La Liga campaign.

Falcao is undoubtedly one of the finest strikers on the planet, but the Spanish international all-time top scorer is proving an able replacement. Villa suffered a broken leg during his time at Camp Nou that cost him several months of his career and certainly seems to have stolen a yard of pace from the 31-year-old; despite all of that, his supreme positional play and eye for goal still make him a dangerous forward for opposition defences to contend with.

Head coach Diego Simeone has several attacking talents to call upon, including ex-Rayo man Leo Baptistao currently sitting on the bench. If he can keep major players fit this season, Atletico could be in with a strong shout of a top-three finish. Also, they have the Copa del Rey to defend, which Simeone will be massively keen to retain.

Last evening's comfortable trouncing of Rayo provided stark evidence of the ability within the Atletico squad and should cause concern even amongst the ranks of their most illustrious opponents Barcelona and local rivals Real Madrid. Simeone possesses a motivated side with the added guile of David Villa in a well-balanced forward line, which gives the team a chance of winning any match they take part in.

It would send the loudest message yet to other La Liga clubs around them should Atletico wrest the Super Copa away from Barcelona this week. And, in their spectacular current form, who'd bet against them?

Twitter: @davewh1980

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