The secret to Atlético's continued edge on Madrid
Saturday, February 7, 2015
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Joseph Walker, UEFA.com's man in the Spanish capital, tells how Club Atlético de Madrid have recovered from their Lisbon heartbreak to get the better of Real Madrid CF this season.
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Since the devastation of conceding a last-minute equaliser when on the verge of a first UEFA Champions League crown last May, Club Atlético de Madrid have bounced back in style against local rivals Real Madrid CF. Their sensational 4-0 Liga win on Saturday was their sixth without defeat versus the European champions this season.
Atleti's recent run against their cross-town adversaries speaks volumes about the change of mentality at the club and demonstrates how Atlético no longer suffer an inferiority complex when going head-to-head with the ten-time European champions. Labelled for years as 'el Pupas' – the cursed one(s) – Atlético had failed to register a single victory over the Merengues in 25 matches spanning a 14-year period from 1999 to 2013. How times have changed.
Meetings since the 2014 UEFA Champions League final
19/08/14: Spanish Super Cup first leg (1-1a)
• Raúl García nods home a late equaliser to cancel out James Rodríguez's opener for the hosts.
22/08/14: Spanish Super Cup second leg (1-0h)
• Mario Mandžukić scores in the second minute on his home debut to secure the trophy for his new side.
13/09/14: Spanish Liga (2-1a)
• Tiago stuns the Bernabéu and, despite Cristiano Ronaldo's equaliser, Arda Turan nets the winner.
07/01/15: Copa del Rey first leg (2-0h)
• Second-half strikes from García and José María Giménez put Atlético in charge of the cup tie.
15/01/15: Copa del Rey second leg (2-2a)
• Returnee Torres steals the show by finding the net inside a minute at the start of each half.
07/02/15: Spanish Liga (4-0h)
• Atleti move to within four points of Real having been two up within 18 minutes, set on their way again by Tiago.
Atlético's resurgence against Madrid can be traced back to another Copa del Rey encounter at the Bernabéu. Goals from Diego Costa and Miranda in the 2013 final sealed a 2-1 triumph that laid the foundations for arguably the greatest season in the Rojiblancos' history as they ended Madrid and FC Barcelona's Liga title hegemony and also reached the UEFA Champions League (or European Cup) final for the first time in 40 years.
Simeone's transformation of the team has been so profound that they have withstood the disappointment of Lisbon to turn the tide and potentially create a new order in Spain's capital, showing intensity, aggression and speed out of the blocks. Fast starts have been the key to all four victories.
