After being involved in the title race for successive seasons, Atletico Madrid endured a relatively disappointing year in La Liga last season.
They finished the season in third place with 78 points – a total of 15 points behind champions Real Madrid. Atletico were the best defensive side in La Liga last season, but they struggled to score goals, and it was the biggest difference between them and the other two La Liga powerhouses.
Diego Simeone wanted to bring Alexandre Lacazette to solve his goalscoring problems, but the transfer ban on the club eventually scuppered that move. The ban also compelled French striker Antonio Griezmann to sign a new deal and extend his stay with Atletico.
The 26-year-old is still Atletico’s most expensive player at 13m. Last season, in a total of 36 appearances, he scored 16 goals and provided eight assists. With 73 points in his bag, Griezmann was Atletico’s best performing forward player last season.
Atletico have managed only signing this summer in the form of midfielder Vitolo from Sevilla. The 27-year-old has joined Atletico in a €36m move, but he has been sent to Las Palmas on a loan move as he can’t play for Atletico until December due to their transfer ban. The 27-year-old, who is available for 5m in EuroFantasyLeague market, made 30 league appearances for Sevilla last season. He scored six goals and provided five assists, and he also earned a red card last season. In the end, he finished the season with 27 points.
Atletico’s main strength lies in their defence and if you are looking to invest in their players then you should consider their defensive players. Filipe Luis, available at 7.5, was the best defender in La Liga last season with 102 points while 10m-rated Diego Godin picked up 79 points. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak at 5m is also a very good buy as he picked up 90 points – which is highly impressive for a player in his position.
Atletico have also allowed some players to leave this summer. The most notable name is that of young full-back Theo Hernandez. The 19-year-old, who impressed on a loan spell with Alaves last season, has joined neighbours Real Madrid in a reported €30m move.
Veteran midfielder Tiago Mendes won’t be wearing Atletico shirt anymore, as he has retired from football while Alessio Cerci has joined Verona for free following the expiration of his contract.
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