Atletico Madrid (foto: Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid is among the biggest clubs in the Champions League, and this summer saw them undergo significant changes. Their aim is clear: to return Atletico to the top of both Spanish and European football.
Tonight, Atletico Madrid will begin their new European campaign at the Metropolitano Stadium, and for Slovenian fans, the match promises to be a real treat, as two of the biggest stars of the Slovenian national team – Jan Oblak for Atletico and Benjamin Šeško for Leipzig – will face off.
Atletico didn’t experience a high volume of transfers, but many believe that no other European giant has strengthened as effectively as the Madrid club based on last season’s performances.
Atletico focused on quality signings, bringing in players who – at least in theory – shouldn’t be unknowns. Robin Le Normand is a key player for Europe’s best national team right now, Alexander Sørloth is a proven goal scorer with 23 goals in La Liga last season, Julian Alvarez needs no introduction, and Conor Gallagher is a player many feel was made to play under Diego Pablo Simeone.
The energy from the Metropolitano stands is already palpable, with the dynamic Englishman winning over fans, who see him as the embodiment of what Atletico should be – energy, resilience, and perseverance.
On the other hand, Atletico has lost several players, but none who were truly indispensable. Perhaps the most surprising departure was Alvaro Morata, who left Spain on his own accord, feeling undervalued at home. Stefan Savić, Saúl Ñíguez, and Mario Hermoso gave Atletico everything they could, while Simeone wasn’t willing to wait for Thomas Vermeeren. Despite his flashes of brilliance, Memphis Depay was a dispensable player, and the biggest gamble might be the young Nigerian Samu Omorodion, a top talent who was sold before ever playing a match in the red-and-white jersey.
The departure of a player who had been trying to salvage his club status for three years was perhaps inevitable. Joao Felix and Diego Simeone simply weren’t compatible, marking the end of a (too) long era in which Felix was intended to become the leader and emblem of the team.
The new Atletico is flexible, fresh, and young (with promising talents like Barrios and Riquelme), but above all, incredibly motivated.
The season has started promisingly, and tonight Madrid will face their first real test, which might tell us more about a team that still has many unknowns.
There are many new elements, but the key pillars remain the same. In attack, the crucial figure is still Antoine Griezmann, while the midfield is commanded by captain Koke, and there’s no question about the goalkeeper position, held by the foreigner with the most appearances in Atletico’s history – Jan Oblak.
For Oblak, who last won a trophy with Atletico in 2021, this will be his longest season yet, as Atletico will also compete in the newly founded Club World Cup next summer.