Why Luciano Vietto Will Be a Future Star for Atletico Madrid

Luciano Vietto hasn't had the most dramatic of starts to life at Atletico Madrid since moving from Villarreal this summer, but after scoring a late equaliser in the derby against Real Madrid, the Argentinian forward will hope that kick-starts his season.

Just one of several big-money attacking buys this summer, Vietto has faced several challenges already when it comes to fitting into the particular brand of football Diego Simeone, manager of Atleti, demands—not least the intense training.

"

New Atleti striker Luciano Vietto physically struggled at training. Simeone laughed [Video] http://t.co/UQq43eDg2C pic.twitter.com/OGbww6RlgQ

— 101 Great Goals (@102greatgoals) July 8, 2015"

Only a few months after joining, he's in danger of being overlooked as one of the main attacking options for Atleti. But the club didn't buy him just for the 2015-16 season; he's a quality forward with a lot of growth left in his game, and Vietto will still go on to star for his side for many years to come.

Slow Start

After a good pre-season, it was a little bit of a surprise for Vietto to start the campaign on the bench, with Jackson Martinez starting in attack despite not having played as complete a role over the summer as Vietto. In fact, the new No. 23 had to wait until the final moments of the third Liga game of the campaign to make his debut, getting a brief run-out against Barcelona.

He has since started against Galatasaray in the Champions League and at Eibar in La Liga but was subbed in both games—at half-time in the latter.

OZAN KOSE/Getty Images

As a whole, the Atletico attack hasn't exactly been on fire just yet, instead looking a little fragmented and having individual players step up and perform in different games rather than seeing a pairing emerge as a consistent option, and Vietto has been part of that.

Tellingly, he has had by far the least amount of game time of the five forwards at Simeone's disposal, with Vietto's usually good touch and ability to link play totally deserting him at times.

Player	Appearances	Goals	Minutes Played (per Transfermarkt, La Liga only)
Antoine Griezmann	7	3	620
Fernando Torres	7	2	376
Jackson Martinez	4	1	247
Angel Correa	5	1	179
Luciano Vietto	7	1	130

He has managed just seven shots so far in La Liga, per WhoScored.com, but the last of those might turn out to be key—it was the leveller late on in the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid.

"

Amazing passion shown by Diego Simeone after Vietto's goal. #BBVA https://t.co/ZLHzhWQ8F4

— LaLiga_Talkzone (@LaLiga_Talkzone) October 5, 2015"

Traits and Patience

Vietto might not have had the best start, but he has already shown with Villarreal that he has the natural talent and the tactical appreciation in his game to have a big impact in La Liga.

In fairness, Vietto's game time has also been hindered by the unexpectedly early emergence of Angel Correa, with the live-wire forward showing lots of aggression, a quick change of pace and an ability to make things happen inside the box that has appealed to Atleti's needs, being behind in more than one big game already this season.

Vietto doesn't have the pace of Correa or the strength of Jackson, but he does have great movement off the front line, able to move into the channels or drop into a deeper position to receive play and combine quickly with the midfield. From there, Vietto will typically look to follow up play by attacking the box from just behind possession—a series of movements that saw him score plenty of times last season from rebounds, low crosses and cutbacks.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

He's a versatile player and his manager believes in him completely. Atleti spent big on Vietto, €20 million or so, but it's not an investment that demands a rapid rate of return in the way Jackson's does, given the Colombian is older, more established and seen as a first choice.

At 21, Vietto has plenty of time on his side, not only to get to grips with Simeone's way of playing but also to improve parts of his own game: one-on-one situations, finishing and moving the ball far quicker than he has done so far this season.

Future Prospects

It's not terribly outlandish to suggest that, in terms of young players and a new team three or four years down the road, the two Madrid sides have far better prospects than Barcelona at this point.

Of course, no team ever develops in the straight line expected of it, as players lose form, get transferred or are otherwise usurped in the starting XI, but a team of Oliver Torres, Correa, Vietto, Saul Niguez, Josema Gimenez, Matias Kranevitter, Jan Oblak and Koke, all between the ages of 20 and 23, is one with fantastic all-round potential.

Vietto should certainly be considered a central piece of the growth of the team over the next couple of seasons, and there is every reason to think Simeone will help him shine to his greatest ability.

Follow @karlmatchett