What Atletico did last season was a miracle. They had NO right with the players that they had to win La Liga. The gulf in class between them and the main two was just far too great. Somehow, perhaps with witchcraft, they managed to actually WIN the La Liga....in the Nou Camp.
Enjoy that friends, because it doesn't look like there will be another team other than the obvious two that will break that mould.
Tactics, strategy and a great manager are all helpful things. You can talk from now till the peacocks come to roost about Costa's goals, but it was the incredible tactical mind of Simeone that won them that cheese. I could give six cracks as to whether or not he was given the coach-of-the-year award. Anyone with an eight of a brain cell would know that he coached his neck of, and that was how he was able to beat Barcelona and Madrid to it.
But....
Barcelona and Madrid will always keep on getting stronger and acquiring the best players. Because you don't go to those two teams and use them as a jump off for a bigger club. Whereas, even if you are league champions and CL finalists like Atletico were, you are still looking to use them as a springboard for "bigger and better." Sounds harsh, and illogical, but welcome to the world of modern football....deal with it.
This is the result of the powers-that-be enforcing a two-club culture in the game. I've heard talk of the TV money all being given to these clubs and all that, but I just have to look at the squads. Because squads win leagues, not teams. You can have the anomalies like Blackburn, Atletico and Montpellier, but ultimately, over the long term, it is the team with the best squad that wins the league the most times. You look at the other teams who may have a pretty good first team. Valencia can give Barcelona and Madrid good games and are not so easy to get Elche'd or Granada'd. But over thirty eight games, with cup games as well, there will be fatigue and injuries. Valencia or Sevilla's bench can't even look the subs for Barcelona or Madrid in the eye. And ultmiately, that's where you have to give the belt to the main two.
How can this change? When will this change? The unfortunate reality is with the way football is
going now, with the incredible money to be made in a short space of time, there just is not enough clout for the other teams to try and attract the hot new talent. Don't you be fooled and think the younger players put football over money. Some do, but when they get shown all the zeroes they can get playing for Barcelona or Madrid, it's just not even up for debate. The contract is signed.
I like competition. What point is there caring for a league where only two teams can win. The La Liga is like how the Scottish league used to be, where it was all about Rangers Celtic for where the title would go. Don't tell me that Valencia or Bilbao are games where the title can be decided, it is all about the Clasico. It will be like that for many seasons to come, because the gap between them and the others is too vast and it just doesn't make for a league....but a duopoly.
Great for Barca and Blancos supporters, but for those that are part of the other teams or objective football cats like me....its just not very stimulating...and it will be like this for a long time to come. HH
