What Is Atletico Madrid's Best Starting XI Right Now?
It's a testament to Atletico Madrid's strength in depth that the Spanish champions were able to cruise so routinely past Real Sociedad on Tuesday, given the absences of key players in Mario Mandzukic, Diego Godin, Miguel Angel Moya and Juanfran.
Indeed, most would consider all four men as guaranteed starters in Diego Simeone's best XI. And that's probably true.
Yet, what's interesting about this current incarnation of Atleti is that even when changes are made it, the end product—barring one or two exceptions—is very often the same. There's an evenness to the side from the Vicente Calderon that makes distinguishing certain players as obviously superior to others more problematic than it is elsewhere.
So what is Atletico's best XI right now?
Across the following slides, we take a look.
Selection Criteria
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Before we look at Atletico Madrid's best XI, it's important to note that we're talking about right now.
There are, therefore, two basic criteria by which the following XI has been selected:
- Form in 2015
- Availability—the player mustn't be sidelined with injury (however, they can be included if they are expected to return to the XI in the next seven days)
Goalkeeper: Jan Oblak
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It's taken quite some time, but we're now finally starting to see why Atletico Madrid brought Jan Oblak to the Vicente Calderon and made him the most expensive goalkeeper in La Liga history.
On Tuesday, the Slovenian pulled off a stunning save, launching himself at full stretch high to his right to prevent Esteban Granero's late free-kick from finding the top-left corner in Atleti's victory over Real Sociedad.
It was the latest in a string of impressive stops from Oblak, who played a leading role in his club's win on penalties over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
And with Miguel Angel Moya still sidelined with injury, the 22-year-old is the uncontested choice for Atleti's goalkeeping slot right now.
Right-Back: Juanfran
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Last week, Marca ran a piece titled "Cholo's choice," highlighting the effect manager Diego Simeone has had on the career of Juanfran.
The point was a simple one: After struggling for a place under Gregorio Manzano, the Spaniard has become Atleti's most used played in the Simeone era, playing 117 games in total under the Argentinian—three more than Diego Godin and Gabi.
Of course, it's not hard to understand why. Extremely reliable, an attacking outlet and a source of incessant energy, Juanfran is almost everything a manager could want in a full-back.
Admittedly, his form of 2015 hasn't quite hit the swashbuckling heights of 2014—despite lining up at the back, he managed to record six assists between September and December—but he remains an indispensable part of this Atletico outfit.
Centre-Back: Jose Gimenez
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Here's where it gets tricky.
In terms of central defenders, Atletico Madrid can match it with anyone. In Diego Godin, Miranda and Jose Gimenez, the Spanish champions have three of the finest centre-backs in Europe.
So how do you choose two of them?
Of course, most would agree Godin is a lock for one of the spots, which leaves Miranda and Gimenez competing for the other. Experience vs. potential.
Right now, though, it's just too hard to look past what the 20-year-old Uruguayan is achieving. In his first season of regular, first-team football at Atletico, Gimenez has broken up Europe's best centre-back pairing of the previous season with unrelenting excellence.
What's more, his best performances have come in the biggest games (think Juventus and Real Madrid). And with Miranda enduring a season that's been interrupted by injury, suspensions and intermittent bouts of indifferent form, Gimenez gets the nod in our best Atleti XI.
Centre-Back: Diego Godin
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Across Europe, there might be centre-backs who are better passers of the ball. There might be centre-backs who are bigger threats at set pieces. There might be centre-backs who are better all-rounders, more multidimensional.
But when it comes to out-and-out defending, there might not be another centre-back who stands at Diego Godin's level.
Week in, week out, the Uruguayan blocks, clears, intercepts and tackles everything that comes his way, providing Diego Simeone with one of the most reliable platforms anywhere on the continent.
Though he missed Tuesday's clash with Real Sociedad with hamstring tightness, it's likely he'll return for Atleti's upcoming clashes with Malaga and Real Madrid, and he therefore makes our best XI.
Left-Back: Jesus Gamez
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Jesus Gamez isn't a left-back. He's a right-back by trade.
But the former Malaga captain has spent considerable time on the left side of Diego Simeone's defence recently and has steadily adapted to the position.
The necessity to deploy him there has been created by the long-term absence of Cristian Ansaldi due to injury, as well as the ongoing struggles of Guilherme Siqueira.
Though the Brazilian is a more natural option at left-back, his defensive limitations have seen Simeone opt for Gamez, ensuring his defence retains its No. 1 quality: reliability.
Thus, if Simeone was asked to pick his XI for the Champions League final from players available right now, you suspect he'd select Gamez at left-back.
Right Midfield: Arda Turan
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If there is one type of player Atletico Madrid are in short supply of, it's creative midfielders. In Gabi, Tiago and Mario Suarez, Atleti have three workhorses. And in Koke and Saul Niguez, they have a pair of industrious, ball-playing midfielders who will become—if they aren't already—elite options centrally.
But in those pockets between the lines, just behind the forwards, Atletico only have Arda Turan. Naturally, he's among the team's most pivotal pieces.
The architect of so many of Atleti's moves, the Turk continues to thrive under Diego Simeone, mixing technical excellence with his manager's ferocity to make him an adored figure at the Vicente Calderon.
Without him, scoring chances dry up.
Central Midfield: Tiago
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On numerous occasions this season, there has been evidence to suggest that Atletico's pair of midfield veterans, Tiago and Gabi, are beginning to slow down in the latter stages of their careers.
In a string of games against Celta Vigo, Bayer Leverkusen and Sevilla, the Spaniard and Portuguese were overrun centrally as Atletico lost all sense of control in midfield.
In the process, what's been made clear is that, against stronger opponents, the pair need fresher legs around them. Additionally, their time as a pairing looks to be drawing toward a close—recently, we've seen Mario Suarez used in place of one of them.
As such, it now feels like the two men are competing for the one spot. And though he's the older of the two, Tiago's form (when fully fit) has consistently been better than Gabi's, chipping in with important goals while watching Koke surpass his long-time midfield partner for prominence at set pieces.
Central Midfield: Mario Suarez
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For the second of the central midfield positions, it was tempting to select Koke in anticipation of his eventual switch to the middle that most expect at the Vicente Calderon.
However, doing so would mean Saul Niguez would be brought into the XI to fill Koke's normal position on the left, and given that the young Spaniard is only just returning from a long injury layoff, that wouldn't constitute Atletico's best combination right now. (It would also weaken Atleti's defensive structure in midfield, and that's not how Diego Simeone likes it.)
Thus, Mario Suarez has been picked ahead of Gabi because of a string of impressive performances that have come in perhaps his best run in an Atletico shirt.
Most notable was his display against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, when the 28-year-old scored the second leg's only goal and, in general play, was instrumental in reversing the tide that had been established in the first leg at the BayArena.
Left Midfield: Koke
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It was made abundantly clear how influential Koke is to this Atletico Madrid team when he went down with a hamstring injury in February.
Immediately, Atleti lacked drive in midfield, missed his work rate without the ball and didn't possess the same threat at set pieces (Koke might be the finest dead-ball specialist in Europe). Unsurprisingly, they struggled as a result.
But since his return, Atleti have begun to find their groove again, with the Spain international giving Diego Simeone's midfield another gear and reigniting their set-piece excellence.
The task now is to keep him.
Forward: Antoine Griezmann
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It looked as if Antoine Griezmann's season was slowing down a little as we entered the March international break, with a barren run culminating in the Frenchman being benched for Atletico Madrid's clash with Getafe.
In the days that followed, Diego Simeone made it clear that his team needed more from Griezmann, that the former Real Sociedad star hadn't been "his usual self." And immediately, the manager has seen a response.
In the next two games, the forward pounced on errors from both Cordoba and La Real to help Atleti to flying starts and a pair of comfortable victories to start the season's final stretch.
For player, manager and club, it's exactly what was needed. A fine season amid a period of rapid evolution for Griezmann (as explained here) looks set to continue.
Forward: Mario Mandzukic
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It's been a difficult stretch for Mario Mandzukic of late, with the Croatian going scoreless in his last five appearances for Atletico Madrid.
However, Diego Simeone revealed this week the former Bayern Munich striker had been playing through pain, lauding his commitment and allowing him to rest for the meeting with Real Sociedad on Tuesday.
And though the goals have dried up a little for Mandzukic, the target man still provides Atleti with qualities Fernando Torres can't quite match, with his aerial strength and hold-up play key to way Simeone's team attacks.
Thus, with the striker expected to return for next week's Champions League clash with Real Madrid, he takes the final place in this best XI.
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