Suarez’s mission almost complete as he closes in on Atletico title triumph
IN THIS tumultuous, disorderly and fantastic La Liga season it is easy to almost forget Atletico Madrid have led the way for 24 of the last 25 rounds of action. They went top in week 12, dropped to second in week 13, bounced back immediately and have been leading the way ever since.
Compare that to their title challengers, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Zinedine Zidane’s team were top for one week only back in week five and Barcelona have not hit top spot at all.
So while this season has been unpredictable and frenetic it is actually hard to level that criticism towards Diego Simeone’s side.
Yes they have recently made hard work of winning their first title in seven seasons but they have only lost four times along the way and it would be churlish to deny they have been the best and most consistent team in La Liga this season.
It is firmly in their own hands with just two games to go and two games you would expect them to win against Osasuna at home and Valladolid away on the last day but here is the but; pressure!
It is clearly taking its toll and that was evident in their narrow win over fifthplaced Real Sociedad on Wednesday.
Atleti raced into a two-goal lead in an impressive opening 30-minute spell and were in cruise control up until the 82nd minute. This was just two minutes after Simeone had replaced Luis Suarez in order to give their attacking talisman a wellearned breather. La Real then nicked one back from a corner and for the remainder of the game Atletico were hanging on for dear life. Suarez was sitting behind Simeone giving him daggers and shaking his head non-stop until the referee blew and put them both out of their misery.
Atletico actually look like a team who enjoy a bit of suffering!
At one stage this season, not that long ago, Atletico had games in hand and a healthy lead which could have seen them 13 points clear of their closest rivals but they were hit in spectacular fashion with a wave of players testing positive for Covid. This also coincided with Kieran Trippier’s ten-week ban and that is when things got a little bit difficult to say the least.
However, I do expect them to hold their nerve and for Suarez to exact the ultimate revenge on his former team Barcelona who, incidentally, have faltered disastrously in the run-in. Ultimately, recent results may well cost Ronald Koeman his job.
It was an incredible story when firstly, Barcelona decided to cut the Uruguay striker at all costs apparently, then for him to show great determination to join fellow title contenders Atletico Madrid.
Barca hesitated when they knew his destination and tried in vain to move the goalposts of the transfer but with his usual single-mindedness the 34-year-old got his desired move and the beginning of his mission and cunning plan was achieved.
All with one aim in mind which was to come back and haunt his former club.
Now, 19 goals in La Liga later and with just two games to go, will he succeed in his revenge and lift the title? I’m backing him, that’s for sure.
‘Suarez was behind Simeone and giving him daggers until full-time’