CHAMPIONS!
Simeone’s Atletico show their resolve to outsmart Barca and lift historic La Liga title
FABULOUS, just fabulous. Atletico tied one hand behind their back, then another, then tied their bootlaces together and still won La Liga at the spiritual home of the club which has dominated world football since 2008.
Atletico — who needed only a draw to be crowned champions — came to the Nou Camp having let five of the last six points slither away, they were allowed to take only 500 fans to chant red and white defiance and, not only did star striker Diego Costa pull up lame, Arda Turan hobbled out of battle and Barcelona took an astonishing lead.
A Barca win would give them the title and the horrendous prospect of the visitors doing a footballing ‘Devon Loch’ hovered.
The Nou Camp believed, Sergio Busquets bossed the midfield for the hosts and Atletico boss Diego Simeone’s hand signals made you wonder if he was waving or drowning?
There was also a moment, just before the new champions showed their mettle, when their Barca old boy David Villa cracked a shot off Jose Pinto’s post and was then despairingly knocked off his stride moments later when it looked sure he would score.
If there was ever an instant for Atletico to think: ‘It doesn’t matter about our merits this season, this isn’t going to be our day’, this was it.
Then, five minutes after what was evidently a Churchillian address from Simeone, Atletico did what they do.
The attacked the period of a game when a rival, if lacking in mental and physical intensity, can be most vulnerable — just what Barcelona used to do.
Atletico had finished the first half with ferocity — corner after corner thrown in at keeper Pinto.
And they matched that dominance in the five minutes after half-time, launching attack after daring attack into the Barcelona penalty box.
Suddenly, they had their booty. Gabi, a magnificently smart streetfighter all season, and particularly last night, swung over the perfect corner-kick.
Too far away from Pinto, over the head of Gerard Pique, who was terrific all night, and right into the path of Diego Godin, who brushed his way through a statuesque defence to nod into the keeper’s lefthand corner.
From the outset, this showdown lived up to expectations.
It would be a mistake to condemn Barcelona out of hand — Spanish Cup finalists, second in the title thanks to a last-day draw, SuperCup winners and Champions League quarter-finalists.
That’s not a dismal season — although immediately following this thriller, manager Tata Martino announced he was leaving the club after only one season in charge.
The Argentinian, appointed last summer as replacement for Pep Guardiola, said he had reached ‘an agreement to cease being the coach’.
He added: ‘I would like to thank the club for putting their confidence in me and I am sorry I was unable to deliver.’
It would be a gross error not to underline that Barcelona had surrendered their league to a team which has taught them a lesson.
Atletico are a very talented side, extremely intelligent and, don’t forget, Champions League finalists — they play city rivals Real Madrid in Lisbon next Saturday.
Several of Simeone’s players are currently enjoying the best months of their entire careers. In fact it’s hard to find any of Los
Colchonero’s 14 or 15 most-used players who have not been in a footballing state ofgrace all of this season.
However, it is their mental and physical awareness which stands out and which puts a magnifying glass on Barca during these 11 months under Martino.
At 1-1, when a goal would have retained their title, Barcelona wanted to dance but couldn’t hear the music. Their months of incremental decline left them unable to find top gear and the revs to get away from Atletico, find a killer second goal and see off Simeone’s men.
They did have their moments. Neymar worked hard to break down a resolute defence and Lionel Messi had a goal ruled out.
But Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois’ only really big save was from a long Dani Alves drive.
The biggest symbol of the new champions’ excellence was that, once some whistling dissipated, the remnants of the Nou Camp crowed repeatedly applauded the dancing, celebrating Colchnero players.
Last night was the first time in history that Spanish champions, other than Barcelona, have been crowned on the Nou Camp pitch.
So it was a fitting tribute to Simeone and his superb team that the home fans, largely, lauded them.
A fitting tribute, indeed.