(ESP-ENG) El fútbol es un misterio. [Opinión]
Hello friends, positive vibes to everyone.
A few weeks ago, in this column, we discussed Atlético Madrid's performance in the Champions League, where I stated that this club is made up of players with a "cold heart." I still stand by that statement, but as with everything in life, there can be exceptions to the rule, and this one came precisely on Saturday when Simeone's team faced their local rivals, Real Madrid, in the Madrid derby. Before the match, both teams were in completely different situations: one was the undisputed leader of La Liga and arrived at the Metropolitano Stadium unbeaten, while the other was struggling, both in terms of their current form and their morale. But as I say in the title, football is unpredictable and always ready to deliver the unexpected.
While the season is already well underway, both in the domestic leagues and the Champions League, I would say that this match was the first real test for Alonso. I can't say the same for Simeone, since his team suffered a defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League. Honestly, I never thought this match would end 5-2, but above all, I was surprised by the performance Madrid put on. Jorge Valdano once said that football is a state of mind, and Atlético couldn't have been in a worse position, so they had no other option but to go all out, to try to turn the situation around against one of their fiercest rivals, and look what they did! Regardless of the score, that was a statement of intent. Scoring five goals against Real Madrid doesn't happen every day; it hadn't happened in 75 years.
If we analyze those 5 goals, we can conclude that almost all of them stemmed from a weak and unreliable defense. Two were headers inside the penalty area, one was a penalty, one was a free kick, and the fifth goal resulted from a lapse in concentration by Valverde. Real Madrid's center backs were Militao and Huijsen, both excellent players in my opinion, with Carvajal on the right (who left the game injured) and Carreras on the left. It's true that the injury list is long for that position, but I don't think it's fair to say that this was a poor selection of players or that the injuries were the reason they lost the match. This Real Madrid team seems to be carrying over the fundamental problems from last season, problems that Xabi Alonso hasn't yet managed to address.
But Atlético didn't win just for that reason; they won because they came out with an attitude befitting their situation: to win, period. Throughout most of the first half and all of the second, the Rojiblancos were clearly superior to Real Madrid. Koke, at 33, continues to perform incredibly in midfield, and Griezmann, with his explosiveness and flair, made the team's attacking machine function smoothly on Saturday afternoon. But if we're talking about stars, then what Julian Alvarez did was and continues to be sensational; for me, he's the best player on that team, by a long shot. Now, was this reaction from Simeone's team merely a one-off, or will we see this kind of performance more often? While it's true that this team often struggles to show character when they need to, most of the time, I think this match can serve as a turning point, a catalyst to help them stay afloat. I believe it's the perfect opportunity to do so.
A Real Madrid team that relies too heavily on Mbappé, with several players performing well below their usual level, and now facing more injuries, seems to have a lot of areas that need improvement. And if only this Atlético team, the one we saw on Saturday, were the typical version of themselves, their situation would undoubtedly be different. Simeone's team doesn't have a bad squad, but sometimes it seems they are content with mediocre performances and results. Of course, that's not their intention, but that's the impression they've given so far this season. Football is unpredictable, and I reiterate that it's a complete unknown. These kinds of results are unexpected, and yet, they happen.
¡Un abrazo a todos, nos leemos en la próxima!
Well, that's all for today, folks. I hope you enjoyed it.
¡Take care everyone, see you next time!