Power Ranking Every Atletico Madrid Player from the 2014-15 Liga Season
Atletico Madrid's 2014-15 season came to a close on Saturday, as Diego Simeone's men secured third place in La Liga and a guaranteed spot in next season's Champions League with a scoreless draw against Granada at the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes.
In doing so, the club achieved the goal it's publicly expressed all season, following an extraordinary 2013-14 campaign with a commendable year, given the key departures Atleti suffered last summer.
Indeed, it's been something of a transitional season for the men from the Vicente Calderon, one that's seen the club's new faces join familiar ones and experience mixed fortunes—some have shone; others have struggled.
Now, with Atletico's season finished, we power rank each of the club's players based on their 2014-15 Liga campaign.
Note: These rankings consider form in 2014-15, as well as where the player stands ahead of the 2015-16 season.
20. Cristian Ansaldi
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In January, Marca pretty much summed it up: "Where's Ansaldi?" ran one of the Madrid-based daily's headlines, remarking on the extended absence of Cristian Ansaldi through injury.
In the early part of the season, the Argentinian had enjoyed a strong run, cementing his place at left-back ahead of the relatively expensive Guilherme Siqueira.
Disciplined, a strong runner and a hard tackler, Ansaldi had looked like a perfect fit for Atletico, but then injury struck.
The last time he appeared in an Atleti shirt was last November.
19. Raul Jimenez
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It was a difficult maiden season at the Vicente Calderon for Raul Jimenez.
After coming across from Club America for €10 million, the Mexican won just four starts in La Liga in 2014-15, forced to settle for 17 substitute appearances as Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic established themselves as Diego Simeone's first-choice forward pairing.
Though very raw, Jimenez has shown flashes of his promise and, given his physical stature, could very well develop into an effective forward in the Primera Division.
But the return of Fernando Torres didn't help the 24-year-old at all. Being a self-confessed Real Madrid fan didn't either, in his early attempts to settle in at Atletico.
18. Guilherme Siqueira
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It all felt a bit ominous for Guilherme Siqueira the second Cristiano Ronaldo switched sides to target him during Atleti's first league clash with Real Madrid last September.
Ronaldo, clearly, saw the Brazilian as Atletico's weak link and immediately drew a penalty from the left-back that he duly dispatched to level the scores.
From that point, Siqueira's season was a struggle, seeing him lose his place in the side to Cristian Ansaldi first and then to Jesus Gamez second. And Gamez's promotion ahead of him was a significant blow to Siqueira, given that Diego Simeone was opting to use a right-back out of position in his place.
However, the 29-year-old can be pleased with the closing weeks of his season, in which he reclaimed his starting place and struck an important goal against Levante that helped Atleti secure a crucial point.
17. Mario Suarez
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Mario Suarez's disciplinary record for 2014-15 tells you everything you need to know about his game. In just 20 appearances, only 11 of which were starts, the Spaniard racked up nine yellow cards.
Aggressive and committed, but also notoriously hot-headed, Suarez was restricted to a secondary role as Diego Simeone sought the more reliable Tiago and Gabi as his central midfield pairing for the bulk of the campaign.
Of course, there were some strong performances from the 28-year-old—he was excellent in a defensive effort against Sevilla—but he'll need one of Simeone's trusted veterans to depart before he enjoys a prominent role at the club.
16. Jesus Gamez
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Jesus Gamez did a strange thing this season. Despite being a defender, the most notable aspect to his debut season at the Vicente Calderon was that he added another weapon to Atletico Madrid's attack: the long throw-in.
Indeed, after coming into the side to play out of position at left-back amid Guilherme Siqueira's struggles and Cristian Ansaldi's injury problems, the former Malaga captain gave Atleti's revered set pieces another dimension, consistently launching throw-ins high into the box to feed the side's appetite for aerial contests.
It proved fruitful—Atleti scored on a number of occasions as a result—and was a large part of the reason why he retained his place for a considerable stretch of time after barely playing in the opening half of the season.
But with Juanfran still around and the London Evening Standard reporting that Filipe Luis is possibly on the verge of a return, getting a game at full-back could be difficult in 2015-16 for Gamez.
15. Fernando Torres
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Has Fernando Torres' Atletico return been a success thus far?
Well, sort of.
Despite a rough few years, the club's prodigal son certainly gave Diego Simeone's attack a vibrant back-up option. His presence also altered the dynamic of Atleti's forward setup when he was used in place of Mario Mandzukic, which was important in giving a different look to opposing teams.
But from a numbers perspective, Torres' return hasn't been quite what Simeone would have hoped for: Three goals in 19 league appearances, 10 of which were starts.
14. Miguel Angel Moya
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Had these rankings been put together just two months ago, Miguel Angel Moya would have featured considerably higher.
After arriving at the Vicente Calderon expecting to play the role of the back-up goalkeeper, the Spaniard seized his chance as Jan Oblak endured an injury interrupted pre-season and established himself as a reliable first choice for Diego Simeone.
But an injury against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League effectively put an end to Moya's season, affording Oblak an extended run in the side that he never relinquished.
Indeed, the young Slovenian was outstanding in the season's closing stages, and Moya now looks poised to start the 2015-16 campaign as Simeone's No. 2.
13. Saul Niguez
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It might seem a little odd that Saul Niguez is ahead of Miguel Angel Moya in these rankings, given that the former made just nine starts in La Liga in 2014-15 compared to the latter's 27.
But though opportunities were relatively scarce for Saul behind Diego Simeone's consistent midfield quartet, the emerging Spaniard showed he can give Atleti's midfield something it's missing: goals.
Indeed, in his limited playing time, the 20-year-old struck four times (one of which was a spectacular overhead strike against Real Madrid), displaying an ability to surge forward and aid Atletico's attack that, at times, felt somewhat limited.
And with veterans such as Gabi and Tiago approaching the final stages of their careers, and with Koke expected to make the switch to a central role, one senses 2015-16 could be a breakout season for Saul after a campaign of promise.
12. Miranda
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After a sterling season in Atleti's remarkable 2013-14 campaign, it has been an odd 12 months for Miranda.
At times, the Brazilian's form has been exceptional; at others, it's been far below the standard we've come to expect.
Indeed, Miranda's 2014-15 season had a very Jekyll and Hyde feel to it, as commanding defensive performances came interspersed with strings of individual errors and cards.
Undoubtedly, a contributing factor were a number of niggling injuries sustained by the centre-back during the campaign, interrupting his season and handing Jose Gimenez chances to stake his claim.
And now 30 years old and entering the final year of his contract, Miranda might be approaching the end to his time at the Vicente Calderon.
11. Raul Garcia
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Much like Atletico Madrid in general, Raul Garcia slipped just fractionally in 2014-15 from the standard he set the season prior.
Though always ferocious and hardworking, the 28-year-old wasn't that same pinch-hitting forward that he was in 2013-14, with his goal tally cut by almost half (nine in 2013-14; five in 2014-15).
Perhaps a major factor in Garcia's scoring drop was Atletico's evolution as a team across the past 12 months, which has seen Diego Simeone's men move away from a purely counter-attacking method since the departure of Diego Costa.
As such, in a slightly more patient, possession-based approach, Garcia's opportunities to drift forward from the right and become a third attacking option on the break have diminished, hindering his scoring output.
10. Gabi
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Quite simply, the 2014-15 campaign was a season of two halves for Gabi.
In the opening months of Atletico Madrid's title defence, the club captain appeared weary, off the pace and out of form. He was being overrun, outfought, and at set pieces (a strength), team-mate Koke seemed considerably more effective.
But in the second half of the season, the 31-year-old turned it around somewhat, recapturing a degree of his outstanding 2013-14 form to entrench his place in the side when it had briefly seemed that Mario Suarez might supplant him in the lineup.
9. Tiago
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There were periods in the 2014-15 season when it felt as though Tiago was showing his age.
Against youthful and high-octane midfields, the Portuguese, alongside fellow veteran Gabi, looked sluggish and unable to establish a sense of control in the middle for Atleti. When presented with such opponents, it's evident that Tiago needs the assistance of some younger legs alongside him.
However, there were also a great number of encounters in 2014-15 in which the 34-year-old made telling contributions, with both league matches against Real Madrid standing as fine examples.
Importantly, too, Tiago continues to be Atletico's best source of composure and clear thinking in crunch contests, reflected by the fact that his five yellow cards for the season were the lowest number of any Atleti player to appear in more than 20 league games.
8. Jan Oblak
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His chance took a long time to arrive. But when it eventually did, he grabbed it.
Emphatically.
In just 11 league games, Jan Oblak finished with seven clean sheets, and according to Squawka, made 3.4 saves per goal—a figure almost double to that of Miguel Angel Moya.
Possessing sharp reflexes and outstanding athleticism, the Slovenian went some way to justifying his dizzying price tag in the final weeks of the season, and he now looks to be Diego Simeone's No. 1 ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
7. Juanfran
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"Cholo's choice," ran Marca's headline in March, as the Madrid-based outlet remarked on Juanfran's appearance record under manager Diego Simeone.
Ahead of Diego Godin, Koke, Arda Turan and Gabi, the right-back has now played more games under the Argentinian than any other Atleti player, and in 2014-15, continued to display remarkable consistency and durability on the right side of Simeone's back four.
Yet, in the opening stages of the season, most notable about the 30-year-old's game was the attacking punch he provided (as a defender, he had six assists by Christmas), forming a dynamic right-sided partnership with Arda Turan.
But although that side of his play dropped away somewhat in the second half of the campaign, his defensive excellence continued, seeing him finish the season with 34 league starts from a possible 38.
6. Mario Mandzukic
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The closing months of the 2014-15 season have slightly damaged the feeling surrounding Mario Mandzukic's first year at Atletico Madrid, as what shaped to be a mightily impressive campaign fizzled out.
By mid-February, the Croatian had reached the 20-goal mark in all competitions, having established a fine partnership with Antoine Griezmann. But, unexpectedly, due to form and injury issues, that's where his tally stayed, as the former Bayern Munich star went scoreless in his last 11 appearances.
Prior to that, though, Mandzukic had been a valuable addition following the loss of Diego Costa, even if his presence had forced Atleti to evolve and adapt to his less-mobile game.
But now, his future at the club is uncertain, with France Football (h/t ESPN) reporting interest from Monaco, raising the possibility he could be elsewhere come the start of the 2015-16 season.
5. Arda Turan
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Arda Turan is one of a kind at Atletico Madrid, and his 2014-15 season was a fine example of why.
A creative technician, the Turk is one of the few players in Diego Simeone's ranks possessing genuine flair, combining superb vision and brilliant control in close to add a different flavour to Atleti's XI.
Not surprisingly, it was his intermittent absences that best highlighted his importance to Los Colchoneros, as the side's attack came almost to a grinding halt without his creativity in midfield.
But if Atletico are to challenge for a title in 2015-16, the club really need to invest in at least one player who can help Turan shoulder the creative duties.
4. Jose Gimenez
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When the 2014-15 season began, there was one player who was considered head and shoulders above the rest when it came to young defensive talents: Raphael Varane.
Now, however, Atletico's Jose Gimenez stands alongside the Frenchman. He might have even surpassed him.
Indeed, it's been a truly magnificent 12 months for the Uruguayan, who, at just 20, has broken into one of Europe's best defensive units and has not only impressed, but looked completely at home.
In 19 league starts, he stood alongside both Diego Godin and Miranda, keeping the latter out of the side for extended periods as he showcased his massive talent to all in the Primera Division.
Perhaps most telling is that, a year ago, the prospect of Miranda leaving would have been unthinkable. Now, it might not even be noticed.
Gimenez is that good.
3. Koke
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In the early stages of the season, Koke appeared on course to break all sorts of assist records, after he'd raced to 13 in his opening 18 appearances in all competitions.
Lethal with his set-piece delivery and increasingly influential in midfield, the Spain international's hot start to the season played a big part in Atletico's ability to maintain touch with Barcelona and Real Madrid in the opening half of the campaign.
Injury in early 2015 then halted his season somewhat, but each time you watch him, there are signs that this wide midfielder will grow to become a truly exceptional central orchestrator in the years ahead.
2. Diego Godin
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The 2014-15 season was another campaign of personal excellence for Diego Godin, who is now perhaps the best central defender in Europe.
Impressively, the Uruguayan's performances weren't affected by the constant shuffling alongside him, as Miranda and Jose Gimenez fought fiercely for the second spot in Diego Simeone's central-defensive pairing.
Commanding in the air, a brilliant reader of the game and dangerous in attack from set pieces, Godin is the complete package at the back, and the man who Simeone builds his revered defence around.
1. Antoine Griezmann
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Twenty-five goals in total, 22 of them in the league. For a debut season with a European heavyweight, it's an outstanding return from Antoine Griezmann.
Most notable about his season, however, was the way the Frenchman overcame a difficult beginning to his time at the Vicente Calderon, rapidly developing the work ethic and discipline expected by Diego Simeone to earn the Argentinian's unwavering trust.
Indeed, prior to Christmas, Griezmann's campaign was littered with cameo appearances, as Simeone instilled a team-first mentality in the precocious forward.
But since a breakout hat-trick against Athletic Bilbao, the former Real Sociedad star hasn't looked back, establishing himself as the key to Atleti's attack and securing his place among the continent's brightest talents.
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