2016-17 Is All or Nothing for Atletico Madrid If They Keep Simeone and Griezmann
Atletico Madrid are facing a big summer as they bid to improve an already excellent squad, and they'll hope to keep star names at the club for another season if they want to overhaul domestic rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid—who pipped them in 2015-16 to La Liga's title and the UEFA Champions League, respectively.
Rumours of Diego Simeone's discontent have surrounded the opening weeks of the close season, with the manager not yet confirming whether or not he will remain in place—although club president Enrique Cerezo was reported by EFE (h/t Marca) as saying fans could "sleep easy" and that Cholo would stay the course.
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Year after year, clubs around Europe are so impressed with Atletico's ability to sustain challenges on all fronts that they are willing to splash out enormous fees on their best players, with Arda Turan, David De Gea, Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa just some to have departed the Vicente Calderon in past seasons.
This summer will be no different in terms of interest, but Cerezo also indicated the playing squad would remain "practically the same" for 2016-17.
If they manage to keep hold of their biggest players and manager Simeone, and they invest in new faces to give the Argentinian the squad he wants, Atletico will face a huge campaign in which they must make good on their strengths as a team to win the biggest pieces of silverware. Otherwise, they'll have to watch the side being broken up next season as the boss or the players give in to the lure of success elsewhere.
So close, so far
Atletico's heartbreak of losing the final is obvious, but it was made worse by the fact they lost to a domestic and city rival for the second time in three seasons.
Simeone has led the team to success in La Liga, and Atleti have won the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League, but with a week to go in the 2015-16 season, they were looking at a potential double.
A loss on the penultimate day of the Liga campaign robbed them of the chance to take Barca to the final day, while the shootout loss in Europe was even closer to success—yet it left Atleti with nothing to show for a season of endeavour, impressive results against the biggest clubs and a record-equalling campaign for their defence.
When the tangible result is nothing, though, it naturally leaves questions: those on the outside ask what more they should have done; those on the inside ask if they can do any better next time.
How much can they improve?
It's no secret Atletico are looking to bring more goals to the team. The expected signing of Nicolas Gaitan, as reported by Marca, will see they do that from the flank, and a new striker will aim to do the same centrally, but as with every other alteration to a team, putting more emphasis on one area risks losing the balance and solidity elsewhere.
Atletico might add 20 goals to their league tally next season, but are they likely to do it while still keeping 24 clean sheets and conceding only 18? Probably not. The defensive individuals might be as good or better, but the unit will inevitably suffer in some way by altering the emphasis going forward.
That said, goals and winning one or two extra games where they struggled to break down lower-placed sides are where Atleti lost the title. In Europe, too, they couldn't score in 210 minutes against PSV Eindhoven and should have buried Real Madrid in the final when on top.
Goals win games, and Atleti just fell short in winning enough of them.
Simeone and Griezmann
Simeone hasn't explicitly said he wants to leave, he simply hasn't confirmed he won't.
His annoyance at not winning silverware, his desire to be the best and his frustrations at losing to two domestic rivals all combine to make the close calls even tougher to take than the times when Atletico were way behind and playing catch up.
He is wanted all over Europe, according to rumours from Yahoo Sport (h/t Mark Brus of Metro), and how long he feels he can continue to battle against the tide is more likely to shape his time at Atletico rather than how much money the would-be suitors are willing to offer him (in the transfer market, rather than in his salary).
As for Griezmann, his goals make him desirable, his versatility makes him interesting for a variety of teams, and his pace, clinical touch and general consistency in performances mean there are few teams around Europe who wouldn't want him.
Atletico expect him to sign a new contract soon, per L'Equipe (via Marca), raising his release clause in the process, and he's one of several whom Atletico will depend on to go on to win the biggest trophies next season.
Exodus?
Los Rojiblancos won't need to hit the reset button if or when Simeone departs, but there are going to be a number of changes when the Vicente Calderon does eventually have a new manager.
The worry for the team is that a number of those changes are enforced by players wanting to jump ship after the boss—who either brought them to the club or eased their passage into the team from the academy—is no longer in place.
It could only take one big-name departure from the squad—Griezmann, for example—and a manager with a new emphasis on how to play to mean a complete shift in style or mentality is required, which could in turn mean four or five players are required or sold.
Young talents in the squad mean it won't be a complete rebuilding job, but football has always been about cycles for teams, and Atletico are very much at the top of theirs right now.
Just how long the cycle lasts, and how much is achieved during it, will depend heavily on this coming season and how Simeone and his best players perceive the chances of getting any better, any stronger and any more capable of catching Real and Barca.
There's a love and fierce enjoyment about catching teams ahead, but if they somehow remain a single, stumbling step out of reach, even the most determined and optimistic hunters must eventually be worn down. If the big guns all stay at the club this summer, Atletico need to capitalise on those stars aligning by giving Simeone the squad he believes can win titles.
If Atletico win silverware, the cycle can easily continue. If they fall short again, despite spending big money, it might just be one close call too many for those that matter most.
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