5 Things Learned from Atletico Madrid's 2014-15 Liga Season

In the week leading up to Atletico Madrid's final league game of the season against Granada, here at Bleacher Report we remarked that "it's likely the club's 2014-15 campaign will be able to be summed up in six words: public goals attained; private goals missed."

When the clash with Granada was over, that was certainly the case, as Atletico secured third place and a guaranteed start in next season's Champions League—the club's publicly stated goal all season. 

However, there will undoubtedly be something of a hollow feeling at the Vicente Calderon, given that an extraordinary campaign in 2013-14 has been followed by one lacking major silverware. 

Interestingly, though, Atletico's 2014-15 season has been a revealing one, telling us a lot about the club, its major rivals, the manager Diego Simeone, the squad and La Liga as a whole. 

Across the following slides, we examine five of the most notable lessons from Atletico's 2014-15 campaign.

Atletico Still Need a Like-for-Like Replacement for Diego Costa

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Diego Costa's departure to Chelsea last summer was always going to be a significant blow to Atletico Madrid. The club's leading scorer in 2013-14, its talisman, the embodiment of the club's mentality, Costa was Atletico Madrid last season. 

The striker's exit, of course, brought about the arrival of Mario Mandzukic. But though the Croatian enjoyed a strong first season in Spain, Atleti still need a Costa-type, something as close as possible to a like-for-like replacement. 

The reason for that is not just about goals. It's about Atletico's style, the way they actually play. Their identity.

Without Costa, Mandzukic's presence has forced Diego Simeone's men to change, stripping Atleti of their supreme counter-attacking outlet and demanding a more patient, possession-based approach. The result has been that Atletico have been caught in an uncomfortable middle ground, somewhere between their preference for counter-attacking football and a more intricate method. 

It's not them. 

For Atletico to recapture the defiant brilliance of their 2013-14 campaign, they need a focal point that allows them to play the Atletico way. A replacement for Costa is necessary.

Jury Is Still Out on Atletico's Transfer Business in Simone's Tenure

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At one end to the spectrum, there's Antoine Griezmann; at the other, Alessio Cerci. 

For Atletico Madrid, last summer's transfer activity produced a very mixed bag. Think of all the different fortunes experienced by Griezmann, Cerci, Mario Mandzukic, Raul Jimenez, Miguel Angel Moya, Jan Oblak, Guilherme Siqueira and Jesus Gamez.

Only one has been truly outstanding. And several were major disappointments. 

What's more is that group represent the latest part of a trend for Atletico, as we explained here at Bleacher Report in March:

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When Atletico Madrid clinched the league title at the Camp Nou last May, Simeone's XI read: Thibaut Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Diego Godin, Filipe Luis, Arda Turan, Gabi, Tiago, Koke, David Villa and Diego Costa.

Of those 11 players, 10 were already at Atletico when Simeone arrived.

In his first summer-transfer window at the club, Simeone's Atletico signed Cristian Rodriguez, Cata Diaz and Emre Belozoglu. Next time around, Atleti signed Villa, Dani Aranzubia, Toby Alderweireld, Josuha Guilavogui, Leo Baptistao and Jose Gimenez. The following winter, Diego Ribas and Jose Sosa came in.

How many of that group are either, (a) currently playing a significant role for Atletico or, (b) still at the club at all?

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Simeone's tenure at Atletico has been remarkable to date. But transfers have remained a troublesome area for Atleti at the same time.

Barcelona and Real Madrid's Hegemony in La Liga Isn't Under Genuine Threat

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After Atletico's staggering effort to edge out Real Madrid and Barcelona for the league title in 2013-14, some wondered whether Spain's Big Two was set to become a Big Three.

If 2014-15 is anything to go by, such a possibility is still a long way off. 

This season, Diego Simeone's men finished with 78 points. In 2006-07, that tally would have won Atleti the league; in 2014-15, it left them 16 points off the pace. And a colossal 14 points from second. 

After an extraordinary season in which Atleti caught Real and Barca napping, the league's powerhouses paused, opened the coffers and reloaded. Big time. Simultaneously, Simeone watched some of his finest head for the exits. 

Evidently, Atletico still aren't even close to playing in the same ballpark. Barcelona and Real Madrid's hegemony isn't under genuine threat.

Diego Simeone's Authority as a Manager Might Be Unmatched Around Europe

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We all knew Diego Simeone was a powerful figure at the Vicente Calderon. Since his arrival, capturing a succession of titles (La Liga, Copa del Rey, Europa League, Spanish Super Cup and UEFA Super Cup) has given the Argentinian an unparalleled status down on the banks of the Manzanares. Tiago once referred to him as "god."

But there was a period of the 2014-15 season that reinforced just how much authority Simeone has at Atletico Madrid. 

Remember the campaign's early months? When Antoine Griezmann couldn't buy a start? Essentially, it was Simeone enforcing his power upon a new star. The Frenchman had arrived after a breakout season with Real Sociedad and France, his stock soaring. 

But there are no stars at Atletico, the manager has made sure of that. It's all about the collective, and every player must fall into line. And Simeone was determined that Griezmann, despite his talent, would learn that, forcing him to endure a difficult start to life at the Vicente Calderon by consistently sitting him on the bench. 

That Simeone could do it unquestioned was extraordinary. Think about it: How many other managers around Europe could take the club's brand-new, €30 million marquee signing and barely play him for the first half of a season?

Across town at Real Madrid, such an act would see a manager fired in five weeks. At Atletico, Simeone has just been handed a new five-year deal.

Atletico's Squad Is Approaching a Point of Transition

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Since Diego Simeone's arrival in 2011, there has been a core group at Atletico Madrid that has been the foundation upon which much success has been built. 

In that group are Tiago, Gabi, Miranda, Juanfran, Diego Godin and Arda Turan. Respectively, those players are now 34, 31, 30, 30, 29 and 28. They cannot go on forever.

As such, Atleti's squad is approaching a point of transition that will see the club's familiar faces gradually replaced by newer ones. 

In midfield, Tiago and Gabi's partnership showed plenty of signs of slowing down this season, particularly during the difficult period in February and March when, out-fought and overrun by Celta Vigo, Sevilla and Valencia, Atleti's title defence crumbled. 

Koke's ongoing presence and Saul Niguez's emergence will certainly help to smoothen the process, but Turan is desperately in need of some creative help. And how long can Juanfran continue to meet the exhausting demands of the modern full-back while essentially playing unchanged every season?

Atletico's success in these past few years has been built on a strong and resilient group. But with time catching up with them, change is coming.