Atletico Madrid Ridding Their Luck With Jan Oblak As Real Madrid And Barcelona Keep Losing Ground In Early Title Charge

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The only unbeaten side in the Spanish topflight this season, Atletico Madrid have started the new league season strongly and sit second on the LaLiga table with 23 points after matchday 11, one point short of leaders Real Sociedad, and two games in hand. Just a point in those games will see them leapfrog Sociedad to the top of the table.

Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak in action during a LaLiga match. Photo Credit: Twitter/ Jan Oblak.


Diego Simeone's side are one of the few teams in the league to pose threat to the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid in previous seasons, having their efforts crowned in the 2013-14 season. The Madrid club have been very consistence in the league and have never finished out of the top three since the 2011-12 season, when they ended the campaign in fifth.

Atletico Madrid, one of the best defensively organized team in European football owe a lot of their success under their current Argentine Manager to the defensive set up, and their impeccable start to the current league season is thanks to their defense, which has conceded just two league goals in nine outings so far.

Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been crucial in the achievement of the club's defense having played every minute of their matches this season, with an average of 0.22 goals conceded per league game, he has let in only two goals in the league while keeping seven clean sheets. A clean sheet ratio of 78% also means they have the best defensive record in Europe top five leagues.

The 27-year-old also record 9.22 saves at a save difficulty of 92% per 90 minutes this season. The highlight of his contributions can be emphasized in the Barcelona clash in November, which Atletico won by a goal margin, and their goalless draw with Huesca and Villareal earlier in the season. Jan Oblak has made himself the perfect fit for a side who doesn't score many goals.

Jan Oblak un action for Atletico Madrid Against Celta Vigo. Photo Credit: Twitter/ Jan Oblak


Atletico have also benefited from the form of their rejuvenated record signing Joao Félix and summer signing from Barcelona, Luis Suárez, both, who have contributed to seven (five goals, two assists) and six (five goals, one assist) goals respectively out of the 19 scored in the league this campaign in the 15 appearances between them.

With Luis Suárez currently out due to Covid, Atletico have won their two league matches without the Uruguayan with compatriot, Joao Félix neither assisting nor scoring. This shows that the team is not dependent on any attacker but they are on their defense, who have kept clean sheet in the two games, with the club winning by a lone goal on both occasion.

The only unbeaten side in the Spanish topflight this season, Atletico Madrid have started the new league season strongly and sit second on the LaLiga table with 23 points after matchday 11, one point short of leaders Real Sociedad, and two games in hand. Just a point in those games will see them leapfrog Sociedad to the top of the table.

Diego Simeone's side are one of the few teams in the league to pose threat to the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid in previous seasons, having their efforts crowned in the 2013-14 season. The Madrid club have been very consistence in the league and have never finished out of the top three since the 2011-12 season, when they ended the campaign in fifth.

Atletico Madrid, one of the best defensively organized team in European football owed a lot of their success under their current Argentine Manager to the defensive set up, and their impeccable start to the current league season is thanks to their defense, which has conceded just two league goals in nine outings so far.

Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak has been crucial in the achievement of the club's defense having played every minute of their matches this season, with an average of 0.22 goals conceded per league game, he has let in only two goals in the league while keeping seven clean sheets. A clean sheet ratio of 78% also means they have the best defensive record in Europe top five leagues.

The 27-year-old also record 9.22 saves at a save difficulty of 92% per 90 minutes this season. The highlight of his contributions can be emphasize in the Barcelona clash in November, which Atletico won by a goal margin, and their goalless draw with Huesca and Villareal earlier in the season. Jan Oblak has made himself the perfect fit for a side who doesn't score many goals.

Atletico have also benefited from the form of their rejuvenated record signing Joao Félix and summer signing from Barcelona, Luis Suárez, both, who have contributed to seven (five goals, two assists and six (five goals, one assist) goals respectively out of the 19 scored in the league this campaign in the 15 appearances between them.

With Luis Suárez currently out due to Covid, Atletico have won their two league matches without the Uruguayan and Joao Félix neither assisting nor scoring. This shows that the team is not dependent on any attacker but they are on their defense, who have kept clean sheet in the two games, with the club winning by a lone goal on both occasion.

It is evident that Atletico Madrid are reliant on their defense and with Real Madrid and Barcelona not consistent so far this season, and they both trail Atletico Madrid by six and nine points respectively, with Real Madrid having a game in hand while Barcelona have the same as Diego Simeone's side (two), this might be the season Atletico Madrid Finally get their hands on the LaLiga title after seven seasons.

Diego Someone is one of the best defensive tactician in football. Photo Credit: Twitter/ Diego Pablo Simeone.

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been battling inner crisis of their own since the start of the season and with the atmosphere at Atletico, the form of their goalkeeper and defense and results going their way in the league, they might be too good a competitor for the Spanish giants when they both wake from their slumber.

After their 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, Atletico Madrid return to league action on Saturday evening when they host Real Valladolid at the Estadio Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid, a win will see them move to the top of the table for at least before Real Sociedad travel to Alaves on Sunday.


Afolabi Kehinde Hassan

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