In the finale of the 2020/21 La Liga season, Atletico Madrid successfully defended their title with a narrow 2-1 win over Valladolid, making it their 11th title in La Liga history. What key factors played a decisive role behind this brilliant achievement?
Tactical innovations, Simeone's insights
Since taking over Atletico Madrid at the end of 2011, Diego Simeone has stuck to a 4-4-2 formation. However, this season, Simeone and assistant coach Nelson Vivas boldly experimented with a 3-5-2 formation, with Trippier and Carrasco attacking on the wings. This innovative tactic has made Atletico invincible in La Liga.
The King of Reversals, a killer when it counts
Throughout the season, Atletico scored 11 goals in the last 10 minutes of the game, showing how strong they are when it counts. Uruguayan shot-stopper Luis Suarez scored in a number of matches to help his team achieve crucial victories. It is worth noting that only three teams have scored more goals than Atletico in the last 10 minutes of a match.
Llorente's metamorphosis, the rise of a midfield star
Towards the end of last season, Simeone began reusing Marcos Llorente. The defensive midfielder played a key role in last season's Champions League final and since then, he has grown to become an important part of the team's attacking side. In the 2020/21 season, Llorente scored 12 goals and assisted 11 times, becoming a key figure in the team's title-winning campaign. It's worth noting that in the entire league, only Celta's Aspas reached double digits in both goals and assists.
The home advantage, the aura of Wanda Metropolitan Stadium
Despite the new crown epidemic preventing Atletico fans from being there in person, the Wanda Metropolitano remained a strong backbone for the team's championship run. Atletico has 15 wins and 3 draws at home, with only one loss in 19 matches. The outstanding home performance has laid a solid foundation for the team to win the championship.
A solid finish and a firm pace on the road to the title
