Atletico Madrid secured their 11th LaLiga titles last weekend, whilst the title is Diego Simeone’s second Championship since he became Rojiblancos’s manager.
In a season where Real Madrid and Barcelona were in a poor run of form in the first half of the campaign, it is very crucial for Los Colchoneros to capitalize on their weaknesses and go on to win the title.
As such Diego Simeone’s side started the season like a house on fire by leading the table right from match-day 9 of the season, and they sat there comfortably till the last day of the season defeating relegation bound side Real Valladolid to win the title in a very nervous manner having experienced a mid-season collapse before the final day of the season.
No doubt it’s been a tough year across Europe for a lot of teams, so any team that comes out triumphant in their respective leagues at the end of the campaign really deserves to be Champions.
As such Los Colchoneros made the best out of the injuries and covid-19 plagued season and went ahead to become Champions ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona with every one of their players contributing immensely in winning the trophy.
That said, without being disrespectful to all other players who played a pivotal role in Atletico Madrid’s winning this season LaLiga title, Cheapgoals will dissect the importance, hard work, and the role both Oblak and Suarez played in Los Rojiblancos title success.
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Luis Suarez Atletico Madrid’s Clinical Finisher
With Atletico Madrid’s title triumph this season, the debate or questions about whether Barcelona was wrong in their decision to get rid of Luis Suarez has been answered perfectly with his 21 goals for Los Colchoneros.
Barcelona received €6m from Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Suarez to Wanda Metropolitano, while the unsettled Alvaro Morata makes way by moving to Juventus.
Been pushed out of Barcelona isn’t what gladdens Suarez, having given the Blaugrana his all on the pitch since he joined from Liverpool.
However, it’s a deal that smitten El Cholo heart even though he couldn’t believe his luck when it was evident that El Pistolero wasn’t in Barcelona’s plans.
The Uruguayan forward on getting to Atletico Madrid didn’t waste time in showing El Cholo that he’s got his team a proven goal-scorer. Before the two decisive matches of the season against Osasuna and Real Valladolid, El Pistolero had scored 19 goals for Los Colchoneros.
Diego Simeone’s side is a team known for its resilience and compactness. More so they’re built on the ability to suffer and fight till the end in achieving their target.
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However, in Suarez’s case, he isn’t a player that experienced such harsh conditions while at Camp Nou, admitting that he didn’t expect to “suffer so much at Atletico Madrid amid a tense LaLiga title race” but he experienced all of that in Madrid.
The LaLiga title race did go down to the final day of the campaign with Los Colchoneros winning it in the end. Apparently, the entire team contributed immensely in winning the trophy, but the clinical finishing of the rejected Suarez was crucial in Atletico’s rise to the top of the league.
Last summer Luis Suarez was essentially useless for the Blaugrana because they felt he isn’t the El Pistolero of four or five seasons ago with his pace and dribbles. However, to El Cholo he understands how to deal with his deficiencies, his team could absorb the game where Suarez wasn’t his old self as both a poacher and creator.
In other words, this season with Suarez touching the ball less than the previous years of his career at Camp Nou, tell how poor he has been with his pace and dribbles. However, his nous for the number 9 role remains intact in front of goal.
Luis Suarez’s role in Los Rojiblancos title triumph was made possible basically because El Cholo crafted it for him, and he made it count by notching 21 goals for the Madrid-based side, playing more like a conventional No 9.
- Jan Oblak: The Shield
Truly Atletico are known for their great defense, but in all honesty what is a great defense without a great goalkeeper like Oblak?
The former Benfica goalie remains one of the best shots-stopper around, and young and aspiring goalkeepers could learn one or two from him. He has the lowest number of goals conceded in LaLiga this season, and he’s one of the reasons why Los Rojiblancos were able to win the title.
Oblak also boasts the best save percentage in the league with a massive 84.2% and a 75% penalty saved this season. Currently, Oblak is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, and his consistent display for Atletico Madrid has clearly ranked him amongst the best in World football.
His impressive numbers for Los Colchoneros basically speak volumes, despite joining from Benfica in 2014 without any guarantee of having a regular playing time.
The former Benfica shot-stopper made his LaLiga debut in the final months of the 2014-15 campaign, and since then he’s been Atletico Madrid’s first-choice winning the Zamora award four times in a row. A great achievement that tells how fantastic he has been for Diego Simeone’s team over the years.
Oblak is so important to the team that Los Rojiblancos defenders don’t fret much, as they’ve got themselves a reliable goalkeeper in between the sticks. A giant figure who continually puts up top-notch performances for the team even when some of the team’s top defenders are out injured.
Seven years on since he joined Atletico Madrid for £16m, the Slovenian International has continuously proved himself as the best in the league with his ever-present contributions and positive influence.
Winning the 2020/21 Zamora award for the fifth time with 18 clean sheets ahead of last season’s winner Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid with 17 clean sheets shows how important Oblak was for Atletico this season which gives credence to his impressive performances season in, season out.
Conclusion
Singling Jan Oblak and Luis Suarez out of Atletico Madrid’s for the success they achieved this season doesn’t mean other players in the team ain’t important or contributed to what they’ve done as a team especially this year. However, Suarez and Oblak’s contribution was immensely brilliant.
