The 2013-14 La Liga winners, Atletico Madrid were not at their best in the previous season as they went trophy less the whole season. They lost the league to an impressive Barcelona side and finished in the 3rd place, 16 points away from the Catalan Giants. Simeone who is known for his aggressive style of play lost Diego Costa to Chelsea and his replacement, Mario Mandzukic was not able to keep the title at the Calderon.
In this article, we take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of Simeone’s side and the changes he may need to bring to the squad in order to have a more successful season this time around.
Strengths:
The Atletico Madrid side is known for the energy and effort they put into every match they play. They are full of vigor and never give the opponents a chance to dwell on the ball. Diego Godin and Juanfran are the pillars in the defensive side of things for the club. They have a very good understanding of the game and are disciplined enough to not let the opposition tear them apart.
Though they lost Arda Turan to Barcelona, Raul Garcia, Koke, Gabi and company provide stability throughout the midfield and give the club a bit of command on the ball. Their quick movement and innovation have always been a thorn in the plans of the opponents.
Weaknesses:
They have lost Mario Mandzukic in the window to Juventus and have bought in Jakson Martinez and Vietto as replacements. With Turan also gone, the attacking half of the team bears a completely new look and the players may take time to get used to the club. This may affect the clubs start to the new season.
J Oblak and Barragan are the two keepers in the squad for Atleti. But they will need a world class player in front of goal if they want to compete against the top sides in Europe. The club had a problem of creating chances in the final third and this window will go a long way in determining where the club will be, come the end of the season.
Transfer Round-up:
They have been very busy this window with as many as 17 players coming into the squad. They have also got rid of 11 players from their squad and the whole team looks a bit shuffled with all the changes. Filipe Luiz from Chelsea, Jackson Martinez from Porto and Vietto from Villareal along with Savic from Fiorentina are the biggest buys of the club this transfer window.
J Miranda, Mario Mandzukic and Arda Turan are the players that the club might miss come the start of the season. Simeone’s side is still linked with Thiago Motta who will be a great addition to the squad. But too many players coming into the club can ruin the clubs form and this season may prove to be a bit harder than expected for Atletico Madrid.
But the fact that they beat Real Madrid and Barcelona to a league title a season ago shows that the club is going in the right direction. The manager and the players must work for the common goal if Atleti want to reach new heights in the upcoming season.