• 2016/17 La Liga preview:
Barcelona | Real Madrid | The rest | 5 players to watch
It is the last season at the Calderon before a move to a 70,000-seater stadium farther north in Spain’s capital.
The Uefa Champions League final runners-up did not go for Diego Costa as expected to link up with Antoine Griezmann, but Kevin Gameiro from Sevilla. Fernando Torres finished the season well, but he was average until March. The Calderon idol will still have a part to play.
Nicolas Gaitan, long linked with a move to England, came from Benfica for €25 million (Dh103.4m). Right-back Sime Vrsaljko, the 24-year-old Croatian who came from Italian Serie A side Sassuolo, could take over from Juanfran. Guilherme Siqueira, Gabriel Jesus, Jesus Gamez, Matias Kranevitter, Luciano Vietto have all been shipped out.
Atletico’s strongest XI in their usual 4-4-2 formation is Jan Oblak in goal, Juanfran, Diego Godin, Jose Gimenez and Filipe Luis in defence. A midfield of Koke, Gabi, Augusto Fernandez and Saul Niguez will be complemented by their best player Griezmann and Gameiro up front.
Atletico have plenty of extra quality in their squad, from Stefan Savic in defence to Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Angel Correa in the middle with Raul Garcia. They will need it, for Spain’s big three should be playing more than 60 games this season.
Atletico have unity and confidence, talent and stability under Diego Simeone. They are always highly motivated and the Argentine gets more from his players than any other manager. Rivals are more savvy about how Atletico play, but Saul and Koke are still young and improving, while Griezmann has become one of the most mesmerising talents.
Expect one of world football’s success stories of this decade to finish in the top three once again and to reach the latter stages of the Champions League.
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