{"id":1237433,"date":"2021-12-11T14:00:51","date_gmt":"2021-12-11T14:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1237433"},"modified":"2021-12-11T14:00:51","modified_gmt":"2021-12-11T14:00:51","slug":"atletico-madrid-derby-real-stats-tactics-la-liga","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/atletico-madrid-derby-real-stats-tactics-la-liga\/","title":{"rendered":"“Playing in the wrong era” – Atletico Madrid find themselves in the middle of this season’s defining week"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 12th December, 2020, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid were beaten by Real Madrid in the derbi madrile\u00f1o<\/em> and it seemed a mere blip which brought to an end a 26-game unbeaten run. A point clear with a game in hand, it seemed a mere inconvenience in their pursuit of the title. They were a side oozing confidence and self-belief.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 12th December, 2021, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid face Real Madrid in another Madrid derby where it seems that a defeat could make or break their season. A rollercoaster week of emotions has seen them humiliated at home, but then celebrating on the road in Europe in style. And now, they’re back in the Spanish capital, up against their neighbours, with it all to play for. How did Atleti end up in this position?<\/p>\n\n

Saturday, 4th December – Atl\u00e9tico Madrid 1-2 Mallorca<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For the very first time, Atl\u00e9tico Madrid surrendered a lead to lose while playing at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano. Newly-promoted Mallorca stunned the hosts with two goals in the last 10 minutes, the winner coming deep into injury time.<\/p>\n

A cursory glance across the field showed players hunched on their knees, exhausted and devoid of any positive emotion. This Atl\u00e9tico Madrid team had been shattered, both physically and mentally, by the demands of a difficult start to the season.<\/p>\n

In the 2020\/21 campaign which saw them win La Liga, Atleti only dropped points in four out of 19 fixtures on home turf. In the opening eight games of 2021\/22, they\u2019d already matched that figure.<\/p>\n

The confidence and elegance that was on display as Atleti dismantled strong opposition like Barcelona and Real Betis has been all too fleeting. There were rare moments in which the fluidity in attack allowed Jo\u00e3o F\u00e9lix and Antoine Griezmann to exploit spaces with Luis Su\u00e1rez adding the finishing touches, but overall, chaos has been the theme.<\/p>\n

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Those two games were two of just three La Liga matches which Atl\u00e9tico have won by more than a single goal this season. Failure to win a single home fixture in Europe this season has been compounded by inconsistent form which means Atleti have to desperately grind out results.<\/p>\n

Had games ended in 90 minutes, Atleti would be on 24 points, rather than 29. That would leave them only a point ahead of crisis-stricken Barcelona and five adrift of the top four. Los Colchoneros<\/em> are only where they are thanks to injury-time goals, rescuing a draw against Villarreal, with wins over Osasuna, Getafe and Espanyol also thanks to late heroics.<\/p>\n

What’s been even more concerning has been in defence. Sloppy and inconsistent defending has been compounded by uncharacteristic Jan Oblak errors. Their xG conceded remains the lowest in LaLiga at 0.86 per 90, but they are underperforming significantly, with 1.06 goals conceded per 90. That 0.2 goals per 90 under-performance is the fourth worst in LaLiga, with two of the teams to rank lower among the three that make up the relegation zone. It\u2019s also the first time since xG stats were first collected that Atl\u00e9tico have performed worse than their xG against, with an average overperformance of 0.21 over the past 7 seasons.<\/p>\n

Mallorca took advantage, and struck Atleti when they were already down. With the stars of last season, like Su\u00e1rez and midfield general Koke, looking tired, and others forced out of position, like Marcos Llorente, due to injuries elsewhere, such a defeat merely rubbed salt into the wounds of a difficult start to the season. That it was Real Madrid loanee Take Kubo who scored the last-gasp winner, only made it even harder to take.<\/p>\n

Tuesday, 7th December – Porto 1-3 Atl\u00e9tico Madrid<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The outlook was pessimistic for Atl\u00e9tico as their Champions League group stage qualification went down to the final fixture. If Milan beat a weakened Liverpool side with nothing to play for, they\u2019d have to score more goals in a win over Porto, and even if Milan failed to win, it was three points or nothing. Just like Mallorca, and only 10 days earlier, Milan had struck late to rob Atleti when they deserved more but failed to impress.<\/p>\n

Then, injuries to Jos\u00e9 Mar\u00eda Gim\u00e9nez and Stefan Savi\u0107, in addition to the suspension of Felipe, left only one fit central defender. Even worse, inside the first 15 minutes, Su\u00e1rez, who has featured in every game for his club this season, was forced off injured.<\/p>\n

It was ‘backs to the wall’ stuff for Atl\u00e9tico Madrid, and Diego Simeone reverted to the basics. It was structured, slow and physical. It was ugly. But it was pure Atl\u00e9tico Madrid. This was Simeone\u2019s Atl\u00e9tico Madrid.<\/p>\n

“Hate’s a very strong word… I hate watching them,” Steve Nicol said<\/a> during ESPN’s coverage. “This team’s playing in the wrong era. They should have been playing in the 80s.” Atleti failed to build any kind of rhythm, particularly in the first half, but relied upon determination and grit alone.<\/p>\n

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??\u26aa\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/kF0D6ViRTL<\/a><\/p>\n

— Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid (@Atleti) December 7, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n