Balague's 2014 La Liga Awards: Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid Excel
With the Liga season heading into a brief hiatus for the festive period, the time is right to take a look back at 2014.
And what a year it was. There was total dominance from Madrid, with Real winning the Champions League and Copa del Rey and Atletico the Liga title.
Cristiano Ronaldo got his hands on the Ballon d'Or, finally wresting it from Lionel Messi.
There's so much to look back on, so let's get into it.
Best Team: Atletico Madrid
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Atletico Madrid were unquestionably the best side in La Liga.
No, they are not the poor club they want us to believe (even though they are selling their soul by too often using third-party ownership), but they have maximised their potential to unique and historical levels.
They deserve praise for finally breaking the Barcelona-Real dominance of La Liga.
Best Player: Diego Godin
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Yes, this may surprise a few people.
Cristiano Ronado has been superb, and Lionel Messi is still the best player of all time, but there is someone who helped the best team in 2014 to get to the top.
It could have been Koke (the best Spanish player of 2014), Thibaut Courtois or Diego Costa.
But Diego Godin led the Atletico back line when they defended deep (last season) and high up (this season), and he also scored key goals, such as the title-winning header against Barcelona from yet another set piece.
Most Improved Player: Koke
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Koke is progressing at a rate that will allow him not only to be a key figure in the midfield of Atletico but also the national team.
He is not Xavi, there are not many who are, but he is the ideal replacement while Vicente del Bosque finds the new identity of the Spain side.
Koke, only 22, has not yet looked like a leader with Spain, but he has taken big steps toward becoming one in 2015.
Best Young Player: Manuel Trigueros
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This might be controversial, and I would love to hear what you have to say, but Villarreal central-midfielder Manuel Trigueros has matured beyond his age.
He is only 23, but he has created a great partnership with Bruno at the heart of the Yellow Submarine.
Let's see if he can justify my faith and take his game forward in 2015.
Best Coach: Diego Simeone
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You simply can't look beyond Diego Simeone.
Winning the league is impressive enough, taking the team to the Champions League final is just as impressive, but changing his team's playing style and still being competitive, as he had to do when the club replaced Diego Costa with Mario Mandzukic, truly shows his talent as a coach.
Best Game: Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid
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Atletico had to go to Camp Nou to get a result—a draw would win them the league.
If Barcelona won, they would have been champions. Atletico got the result and did it in their usual style—Godin with the goal from a set piece for the draw after Alexis Sanchez had given Barcelona the lead.
Fixture lists rarely throw up the chance of a final-day title shootout. That happened in 2014, and the game did not disappoint.
Best Goal: Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid vs. Valencia
7 of 7I have a soft spot for the goal that Cristiano Ronaldo scored against Valencia in May.
Heading into injury time, Real were trailing 2-1. They needed something special, and their star man provided it.
A cross from Angel Di Maria picked out Ronaldo who, with his back to goal, pulled out a backheel volley that flew into the net.
There was huge pressure, with Real still firmly in the title race, so to pull off what was the only option available to him was quite spectacular and rather brilliant.
