The 2013/2014 campaign was Atletico Madrid’s best season yet. They claimed the La Liga title for the first time in almost 20 years. And when you talk about producing some of the world’s best strikers, no other club does it better. The likes of Sergio Aguero, Fernando Torres, Diego Costa, David Villa, Diego Forlan, and Radamel Falcao all had their time above the clouds playing in the red and white. Even keepers David de Gea and Thibaut Courtois had their own resilient time in goal.
Atletico Madrid’s origins date back to founder and then president Enrique Allende. In 1903 Atletico was founded as the youth squad to Atletico Bilbao. Being the underdog is something the team has been used to for a long time. Not to mention having to compete for fans with the monolith that is Real Madrid. Nicknamed Los Colchoneros, for the red and white jerseys, a win for them was never easy. This most likely played a role in what ultimately drove Atletico to play with such heart, like they always had something to prove.
Winning is easy when little is expected from you, because a loss doesn’t immediately banish you to the bench. That is what so many Atletico players didn’t realize before making moves to some of the biggest clubs.
Diego Costa made the switch over to Chelsea and while his success has been unrivaled in the #9 role, he did better at Atletico, especially after an incredible Champions League season with Atletico, in which they lost in extra time against Real Madrid.
Costa is the exception.
Fernando Torres and Radamel Falcao saw their prowess dwindle, that certain edge they had dull. Falcao’s time at Monoco, and now Manchester United, was nothing compared to his time at Atletico. And after failing to preform at Chelsea, it wasn’t until Torres came back to Atletico that things finally started to improve for him.
Ray Hudson would say of Fernando Torres after that goal, “Confidence is coming out of his ear holes, he’s back.”
Some people say Torres was cursed once he left for Chelsea. Comparing his immediate impact at Atletico Madrid to his ineptitude at Chelsea makes you believe that. Those believers have to believe that as soon as Torres scored that goal, the curse was broken.
Sergio Aguero on Manchester City has claimed a Premiere League title, but has largely been injured for most of the time, a curse if I’ve ever seen one. For the 2006-2011 seasons with Atletico Madrid he made 175 appearances. And for Manchester City from 2011-2015 the argentine has so far appeared 101 times.
Recent rumors had predicted Diego Simeone was planning on leaving Atletico for the piles of cash. Possibly to Manchester City or Liverpool, but after El Nino’s return, Simeone has decided on staying, at least through the winter transfer window.
Or maybe this is Simone’s way of saying he too believes in the curse.
