It should come as no surprise to learn that two ferocious and aggressive personalities like Diego Simeone and Luis Suarez sometimes fail to work well together.
However, that is far more worrying than any other side of the Atletico Madrid team. The fact that the duo and the rest of the team failed to impress on the pitch has made The Rojiblancos down in the LaLiga table and could give up their league title even before their time.
Moreover, recently they were helpless against Granada in Los Carmenes, where Simeone’s men lost 2-1 to The Grana.
Editor’s Choice
Suarez, in particular, was furious and it showed on Saturday when the former Liverpool and Barcelona star was sent off by Simeone ten minutes into the second half against Sevilla, with the score still 1-1. Even during the match against Granada, the striker was also replaced by Matheus Cunha in the 68th minute, and he looked ‘sluggish’ as he headed to the sidelines.
“Damn it idiot, it’s always the same thing,” the assailant seemed to mutter under his breath as he trudged through Seville, obviously annoyed at the time.
If there is more evidence of his frustration, Suarez afterwards threw his socks on the floor, while substitute Cunha was powerless to break past Sevilla to a 2-1 loss – and that leaves them challengers to Real Madrid at the top. Remember! Not Atletico, but Sevilla who are now in second place.
Asked about the incident by reporters on Tuesday, Simeone also ‘looked rude’. “I have no opinion to say,” he insisted; although he went on to hint that the atmosphere in the dressing room was far from ideal: “We have a few things to improve, like the tension level…it’s definitely taking its toll.”
It’s a bit ironic that a team like Atlético, who was famous throughout his reign The Chocho due to the unbreakable team spirit, moreover he has often matched the splendid performances in every game with his off-field leadership style that they have had over the last decade.
Of course, four defeats in a row have taken a toll on their mentality, with Suarez one of the players who appear to be the most lethargic.
So important to Atletico’s success in 2020/21, the Uruguay international has only been in his own shadow this season. He has scored just eight goals in 23 appearances across all competitions, and in the last two months he has scored just one goal, in a 3-3 draw against Valencia last November.
When his productivity dwindled, Simeone reacted immediately to pull Suarez off the pitch, even as Atletico were trying to equalize or seek victory.
At 34 years old, Suarez certainly can’t expect to start and feature in every game, with only one full 90 minutes since the start of October. Maybe he needs motivation to shine again in the second half of the season and bring The Rojiblancos to the right way.
The biggest problem for the manager is that he is faced with a reality where his team can’t seem to find a way to score in Suarez’s absence.
The likes of Joao Felix and Antonie Griezmann have still disappointed this season, contributing just two and three goals in the league respectively, trailing Angel Correa (four goals) who are second as the team’s top scorer in the league, with Suarez lead the list after scoring seven goals.
On the other hand, the club’s once tough defense has also lost its ‘toughness’, even more so in recent weeks the central defender duo Jose Maria Gimenez and Stefan Savic are still struggling with injuries.
After conceding just 25 times throughout the LaLiga 2020/21 season they won, Jan Oblak has seen 22 goals against him this term.
The Slovenian is, in fact, in a position he has never been in. In his seven-and-a-half years at the Wanda Metropolitano, he has never averaged more than one goal conceded per game.
The loss against Granada further confirmed that there are problems within the Atletico dressing room – as well as worsening the goalkeeper’s stats.
Their hopes of retaining the title are still there, but it looks like their city rivals The whites won’t just give up. Moreover, they are currently very comfortable at the top of the standings, following Carlo Ancelotti’s squad’s 2-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao, Thursday (23/12) early morning hrs.
Madrid’s 46 points so far will mean that Atletico will have to give their all – not even making a mistake in every game – to keep the LaLiga title race hot this season.
The Rojiblancos have finished all the games in the first half of the season, and after the break, they will surely do big things to improve the team’s performance, Suarez is no exception.
He has always been a confident striker, capable of fighting even though he hasn’t scored even at his best before repaying him with a superb performance.
There is no doubt that Atletico staged a major coup in taking advantage of Barcelona’s poor treatment of the veteran striker last season, a first move which earned them 21 goals and was arguably their hero in sealing the league crown.
However, while Barca’s handling of Suarez’s situation is deplorable, it is for justifiable reasons. The forward has slowed down, especially from his prime, and unless he is capable of quality finishing and finishing in the box, he will struggle to make an instant impact for the Catalans.
But therein lies the dilemma: as long as the striker’s partner fails to make an impact, it is Suarez the club must turn to to pose a threat in the final third.
Atletico have the players to give the Uruguayan the opportunity he needs, but they need to move quickly to find his touch again and get the team out of trouble – otherwise Simeone may be facing his most disappointing season in ten years in the Spanish capital.
.
