Atletico Madrid is back inside the top 5 spots at La Liga by the end of the year. A couple of wins over Osasuna and Real Betis helped their cause. Their victories at Wanda Metropolitano and Benito Villamarin saw them close in on Sevilla in third by just a pair of points. All that after a lackluster November with only a single league win. Los Colchoneros are no longer far behind to begin 2020.
Atletico Went Back To Basics
Atletico’s style has remained largely unchanged during this positive streak. That Diego Simeone seal of quality is there as it always has been. What has changed, however, is Atleti’s approach to the final third of the pitch.
The Madrid XI overcomplicated things for themselves all throughout October and November. They looked for one final touch, one final pass, or a final dribble. That didn’t pay off as wins were hard to come by. Now, Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata make use of what they have and seem to go straight for the net most of the time. Furthermore, they have taken full advantage of one of their historical strengths: Set pieces.
This is quite a step up for Atleti as just weeks ago, they were unable to come away with a win against Espanyol, who sits at the very bottom of the table.
Can They Keep Up?
Yes, they can. Wanda Metropolitano’s residents will open up 2020 and the second half of La Liga against Levante, Barcelona will meet them at the Spanish Supercopa semifinal before playing Eibar and hosting Leganes to end January. This could cause an even bigger change of momentum before they square off with Liverpool in early February.
Wins are feasible against their upcoming opponents. They’re lesser rivals than Atletico on paper. Even Barca could turn into a victory given the fact they might use an alternate lineup for the occasion.