Defeat in Title Race Can Spur Atletico Madrid on to Winning Champions League

A 2-1 defeat to bottom club Levante on Sunday ended Atletico Madrid's hopes of a final-day title win in La Liga, seeing them slip three points behind Barcelona on the penultimate day of the campaign.

With head-to-head ruling going in favour of the Catalan club, Atleti's domestic season is effectively over, and they will now focus all their efforts on instilling maximum fitness and focus in their players ahead of the UEFA Champions League final against city rivals Real Madrid on May 28.

It's a blow for Atleti to have lost a thrilling title race in such disappointing fashion, but Diego Simeone's men have been noted for one aspect above all else during his tenure: being at their best when seen as the underdog and trying to beat a perceived bigger opponent.

With Real leapfrogging Atletico into second place on Sunday, Simeone's men will again take that mentality into the final, and it could prove to be their best shot in the arm.

Late Liga Issues

Atletico have lost six games this season. Two have been against the top club, Barca, but two have also come in the past six weeks against bottom clubs: Levante, already relegated, on Sunday and Sporting Gijon, fighting the drop and only above the dotted line on head-to-head.

It's becoming something of an ongoing problem for Atletico against the smaller sides in La Liga; they only beat Sporting earlier in the campaign with a last-minute goal, Getafe almost took a point from them before a late second strike for Atletico in September, Thomas Partey had to play the part of super-sub to nick a win over Levante at home in January and the big guns had to come on early against Rayo Vallecano on April 30 to push for a 1-0 win.

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Atletico have the tactical organisation and the defensive stability to back themselves with a one-goal lead, of course, but when they do concede or find it tough to play around a packed defence, they are inevitably left having to overcommit in the latter stages of matches to take a win.

Twice of late against the smallest clubs, it cost them a defeat. Those defeats have cost them the title. It's something to work on for next season for Cholo Simeone.

Taking on Real

Where Atletico have no fear whatsoever, though, is in playing the world's biggest, most expensive and so-called best teams.

Their route to the Champions League final has seen them steadily progress past teams that were more and more frequently the favourites left in the competition to win: Benfica in the group stage, PSV Eindhoven in the last 16, Barcelona in the quarter-finals and Bayern Munich in the semis. Contrasted to their opponents—who faced Paris Saint-Germain, AS Roma, Wolfsburg and Manchester City—it has been a much more difficult journey to the final for Atletico.

Not that they would have it any other way.

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Atletico beat Real at the Santiago Bernabeu only a few short months ago, and the sides drew at the Vicente Calderon earlier in the season. It will be a close-fought game in the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, but Atletico already know they have the beating of their rivals.

No fear, no inferiority complex and no doubt that this time they can emerge triumphant.

Memories

Because, of course, it was only two years ago the same teams met in the final. Half a dozen of the beaten Atletico side from that year are still at the club and will want to make amends; perhaps luckily for Atletico, that half-dozen happens to be comprised of some of the strongest-willed players around: Gabi, Diego Godin, Koke and Juanfran included.

There will be no inferiority complex, but that doesn't mean Atletico won't allow the buildup to play into their hands, claiming to be the weaker side, admitting Real are favourites and that their only aim was to try and stay as close to them as possible.

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All the while, the fury at losing out on the league title will be smouldering within Simeone and no doubt vented from the sidelines in a manner that urges his team on toward ever greater achievements.

Winning the Champions League makes Atletico the best in Europe, but perhaps slightly more importantly, winning this Champions League would make them the best in Madrid.

Some teams shine in moments of adversity, display their ability to bounce back and give an insight into their ironclad mentality and self-belief. All of those attributes would usually be claimed to be in Atleti's genetic make-up. The final is the biggest stage of all to prove it on.

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