The beginning of a new La Liga season marks the potential beginning of a new era for Atletico Madrid. For all their stability and consistency in recent years, this in many ways could be a campaign of transition.
That is largely because of the significant change of a new stadium, the impressive Wanda Metropolitano, cavernous, bowl-shaped and waiting to become the club’s home.
The Vicente Calderon’s farewell on the final game of last season was an emotional one, and there was an air of uncertainty amidst the mournfulness. It’s not a unique situation; many fans of clubs bound for a new venue have expressed concern at what the move will bring, but for Atletico it felt particularly poignant.
Los Colchoneros supporters have earned a reputation as some of the most fervent in Europe. Replicating that at Wanda, though, will hardly be easy. It will take time for both players and fans to adjust to entirely different surroundings.
How long remains to be seen, as does the true effect such a drastic change could have. Atletico will begin their season with three away games – against newly promoted Girona, Las Palmas and Valencia – before hosting Malaga in September when the final building work will be completed.
It’s hardly an ideal situation for Diego Simeone and his players, nor is the fact that the club have been unable to make any additions this summer due to their FIFA-imposed transfer ban. Vitolo was signed for €37.5m from Sevilla and duly shipped out on loan at Las Palmas until January, while the saga surrounding Chelsea’s Diego Costa has not yet come to a conclusion.
So, no new players, a tricky opening and the potential tumult of a stadium move. However, there at least remains a mood of general positivity at Atletico. “Some would see not being able to sign players as a weakness but we've taken it as a positive because we all know each other,” Simeone said on Friday. “We know how we want to play, and that boosts the essence and ideas of the team."
Atletico certainly have a settled team, one that has maintained its competitiveness in recent years, even when key players have been sold. Perhaps the major positive heading into this season is that no big names have departed; keeping hold of Antoine Griezmann, Saul Niguez and Koke could well prove crucial.
Some have criticised the club’s policy of selling on young, fringe players in an attempt to raise funds, the likes of Amath – sold to Getafe – and Matias Kranevitter – moved on to Zenit – have been shipped out having been given few opportunities. But the first team is in a good position to build on last season, albeit with a few potentially significant obstacles.
It could be that Atletico’s form in the first half of the season proves vital, particularly if Costa joins Vitolo in moving to the club in January. His return would lessen the goalscoring burden on the shoulders of Griezmann and likely provide Atletico with a significantly more potent attack.
As it stands, though, there remains an element of ambiguity as to Atletico’s chances of success this season. The situation at Barcelona, following their heavy Super Cup defeat against Real Madrid and the world record sale of Neymar to PSG, has given Los Rojiblancos hope of disrupting Spain’s dominant duo.
At the Nou Camp, the transitional period seems far more significant than at Atletico, so a second placed finish seems far from implausible at this point. A title win, however, would likely be a more impressive achievement than the club’s last in 2013-14, such is the domineering swagger of city rivals Real Madrid, who at present seem almost invulnerable.
Still, there is much to be optimistic about for Atletico supporters, while maintaining a healthy dose of pessimism. The Wanda Metropolitano could at first bring difficulty, but it is undoubtedly a sign of ambition for a club looking to take the next step. And regardless of where they are playing their football, this remains Simeone’s Atletico, tenacious and dogged, well-organised and tactically disciplined.
A season of intrigue is on the horizon for Atletico, as they look to push on from three consecutive third placed finishes in La Liga. The trip to Catalan new boys Girona, at the modest Estadi Montilivi, will represent an interesting early test.
