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It’s a new season and Atletico Madrid have already announced themselves to their rivals in La Liga with a performance that many can only admire.
The Rojiblancos were crowned league champions last season following one of the most competitive title races in the Spanish top flight in recent years.
To finish above Real Madrid or Barcelona in a single campaign is one thing, but to finish above both in La Liga in the same season is a rare piece of achievement.
Atletico, though, have now done it twice in the last eight years and they seem on track to make it back-to-back La Liga titles this season.
Atletico Madrid start title defense with victory
Diego Simeone’s side began their title defense with an away trip to Celta Vigo. The Abanca Balaidos Stadium has always been a tough venue for visiting teams and Atletico had to dig deep.
In the end, though, the Rojiblancos got the better of Celta Vigo after coasting to a 2-1 win, thanks to a double from Angel Correa.
This was by no means a dominant performance by Atletico, but anyone who has watched them over the years already knows that dominance has never been their style.
Theirs is an efficient team that goes onto the pitch to get the job done. They go into games with the sole aim of getting results and performances simply don’t matter.
On Sunday, that was exactly what Simeone set his side up to do. Despite Celta Vigo dominating possession, Atletico Madrid were more efficient, securing an important victory to kickstart the campaign.
Simeone won’t change his style or objectives
If there’s a constant in this Atletico Madrid team, it is the fact that they have a dogmatic style of play, which Simeone has constantly stressed that he will never change.
Come to think of it, why should he? The Argentinian manager’s abrasive style has yielded success and multiple domestic and European titles, proving to be a formula that works.
“We won’t change our path. Game by game. We understand what La Liga is like and we’ll compete as we’ve been doing for the last nine-and-a-half years,” Simeone said ahead of Atletico Madrid's season opener, as quoted by Football Espana.
“[Our objective for the season is to] be competitive. The best thing that can happen to us is to not change our destiny, to be competitive in everything.
“Improve in the Copa del Rey, improve in the Champions League and fight for La Liga until the end.”
Atletico Madrid and Simeone are a match made in heaven and they can only get better after passing the test on the opening weekend of the season.
