Having gone a goal down and offering little going forward, Simeone’s double substitution at half-time paid off, but wasn’t enough for Atlético Madrid to get the three points at Sevilla. Both teams had momentum during the game but neither dominated, as VAR, penalties and a goalmouth scramble came into play and defined this cagey, tactical […]

In an old-school duel of two teams trading long passes, Atlético’s domination of second balls and their superior talent allowed them to create the better shots, which ultimately turned into goals. In the second half, Athletic were unable to change the game state through substitutions, conceding more spaces on the counter for Atlético to exploit. […]

Atlético Madrid’s stubborn defensive shape frustrated Bayer Leverkusen all evening, as the guests were unable to progress through their buildup play, or establish the lengthy spells of possession they have become accustomed to in the Bundesliga. The staccato nature of the match served Atlético well, as they hunkered down and found a winner through second-half […]

Atlético Madrid created some half chances in the first half in an interesting looking scheme that benefitted from Valencia’s confused defense. After gaining the lead, Simeone asked his side to retreat, ultimately allowing Valencia to equalize through a Dani Parejo free kick. Tactical analysis and match report by Om Arvind. With seven goals in eight […]

In yet another risk-averse Madrid derby, Real and Atlético came to a goalless draw that showcased both teams’ offensive problems. In the first half, Real failed to break down Atlético deep defensive block, in no small part due to their return to a more conservative midfield structure. In the second half, the substitutions of both […]

Juventus and Atlético Madrid put up a show of organized defending for the entire first half, before all hell broke loose and both teams started taking shots in quick succession. Hector Herrera’s equalizer finally restored order in a game that got progressively open and ended up as a high quality entertaining show of football. Tactical […]

Diego Simeone switching Atlético Madrid back into a 4-4-2 formation has made the team an effective pressing side. However, Real Sociedad countered that by pulling players out of position, breaking lines, and relying on a certain Martin Ødegaard. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. The derby defeat to Athletic Bilbao left a sour taste […]

Uncharacteristically poor penalty box defending from Atlético left them 2-0 down within twenty minutes. It took Atlético a while to finally break through the Eibar defense as their game relied somewhat on directness, even though they often created the structures for more intricate play. Diego Simeone made changes in the second half, including the introduction […]

Atlético Madrid are betting their future on the performance of their new signing, the young João Félix. In this article, we attempt to explain why Atlético needed a Griezmann successor so badly, why Félix could be that successor, and what tactics can Simeone and his staff use to build a good collective structure around him. […]

The Wanda Metropolitano in a celebratory mood saw Atlético de Madrid dominate a conservative but inefficient Sevilla side. By the hour mark, the hosts probably deserved to have the game won, but a surprise equalizer and a key tactical change by Joaquín Caparrós almost gave Sevilla FC a much needed win. Tactical analysis and match […]