A new decade has opened this year but obviously, it will not change anything for Atlético Madrid.
Diego Simeone's training will always rely, against all odds, on the impermeability of his rearguard, the one who inflicted the most “clean sheets” (match without conceding goals) to his opponents between 2010 and March 2020. Namely 183, four more than Juventus Turin, yet worthy representative of the "catenaccio" to the Italian.
A mind-boggling performance that continues year after year.
And this 2020-2021 season seems set to be a great vintage.
Two goals conceded only in La Liga
Thus, in La Liga, Ante Budimir (Osasuna) and Jorge Molina (Granada) share the common point of being the only two to have failed in the defense of the Colchoneros.
And yet, the second found the loophole when his team was led 5-0 with five minutes from time while the first was content to reduce the gap to 1-2 in the 80th minute of play. In other words, since the start of the season in La Liga, Atlético Madrid has never been behind.
In nine matches played, in a Spanish league that is not used to being closed in a double round, the performance impresses.
Especially since the Madrilenians have already faced FC Barcelona or traveled to Valencia.
A solidity which rests first of all on the tactical science of Diego Simeone, who became the number 1 expert in the field.
The Argentinean has no equal in obtaining the support of all of his players on the need to press and come back to defend.
What certainly to make mad with jealousy a certain Thomas Tuchel at Paris SG, the German still struggling to ensure the same work from his attackers.
But the collective precepts would not be enough without the talent of the men who apply them on the meadow.
Headliner, goalkeeper Jan Oblak confirms, season after season, that he is undoubtedly the best in the world currently in his post.
At almost 28 years old (he will have them on January 7), the Slovenian is at the top of his game and is already seeking a 5th Zamora Prize, an award given in La Liga to the goalkeeper who conceded the fewest goals in a season.
It would thus equal the record belonging to Victor Valdès and Antoni Ramallets.
Before certainly going beyond them, so much the future belongs to it.
In front of him, Oblak can rely on a central hinge with variable geometry, but still very regular.
Indeed, between a Stefan Savic who has perhaps never been so efficient, a Felipe still useful despite his 31 years and a Mario Hermoso who dreams of settling in the Spanish selection (5 selections on his counter for the moment ), there is no shortage of men of duty.
José Gimenez, winning return
With an additional X factor in the person of José Gimenez, the Uruguayan who has long been sidelined due to various injuries but who is returning to his best level.
At the time of Diego Godin's departure in the summer of 2019, Gimenez had been presented as the future boss of the Colchoneros defense.
A status that he was not able to assume at first but that he now seems able to take head on.
And to complete the picture, we should not forget the excellent work of full-backs Kieran Trippier, in the purest British tradition, and of the Brazilian Renan Lodi, who also started with the Seleçao.
In short, the Madrid rearguard is full of internationals from all walks of life, all forming a formidable and very often impassable whole.
Except for Bayern Munich ...
Indeed, if the formation of Simeone has conceded only 9 goals in 13 matches since the start of the season in all competitions, almost half was against the Bavarian formation during the second day of the group stage of Champions League (4-0).
With in particular a double of the French Kingsley Coman.
Except that at the time, José Gimenez was not present and it is with the Uruguayan that the Madrid rearguard is running at full speed.
So Bayern, deprived of Robert Lewandowski, can he again carry out such an offensive festival this Tuesday evening (9:00 p.m.)?
It will not be easy, especially as the Colchoneros - who took only 5 points - must absolutely win to take an almost final option on qualifying for the round of 16.
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