La Liga returns finally this weekend as unbeaten Atletico Madrid – in third place, three parts behind leaders Precise Sociedad nonetheless with two video video video video games in hand – host an inconsistent Barcelona attempting to flee from mid-table mediocrity.
Luis Suarez was on the headlines in his first sport in opposition to his former membership. Nonetheless, the Uruguay striker has been dominated after contracting Covid-19 within the midst of the worldwide break.
Atletico, though, nonetheless have plenty further attacking weapons to offer an unlimited check out to Barca’s unreliable defense on Saturday (20:00 GMT), along with a youthful experience who’s attempting an increasing number of a position to dwelling as masses as his standing on account of the third costliest change in historic earlier.
Dropping Suarez after his constructive coronavirus checks out earlier this week is clearly a blow to Atletico, on account of the earlier Barca frontman has made a powerful start to life collectively alongside collectively along with his new membership.
After netting twice in just 20 minutes on his debut game, now Suarez has continued to steer in the freeway in his widespread belligerent vogue and is La Liga’s joint-second principal scorer, collectively alongside collectively along with his tally of 5 targets in 375 minutes, giving him the becoming goals-per-minute report contained within the league.
Nonetheless, approaching the age of 34, Suarez is clearly solely a short-term measure, and the precise actuality tempers Atletico’s frustration on his unavailability on Saturday they will nonetheless title upon a fast-rising star who has the group’s future at his ft: Joao Felix.
The Portugal forward, who turned 21 remaining weeks, was solely fairly worthwhile all by using his first season with Atletico in 2019-20, scoring 9 targets and under no circumstances displaying absolutely to earn the notion of demanding supervisor Diego Simeone.
Contained within the opening weeks of the model new selling and promoting advertising marketing campaign, nonetheless, he has confirmed exactly why Atletico forked out £113m to sign him from Benfica by delivering an assortment of spectacular performances.
Felix’s effortlessly elegant technical experience has commonly been obvious; nonetheless, he is now, moreover, getting himself further-commonly involved contained within the movement and providing a decisive remaining product contained inside the subject.
With seven targets and two assists for Atletico, he has already nearly matched the remaining season’s output. Moreover, he shone on the worldwide stage by netting his first senior targets for Portugal and a strike in Tuesday’s 3-2 win against Croatia.
Worldwide team-mate and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has acknowledged he believes Felix can in the long term flip into Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-term successor as the main target of Portugal’s assault, indicating the rising confidence that the youthful star is ready to fulfill his potential.
Felix’s enhanced standing this season is mirrored inside the truth. His widespread number of ball touches per sport has elevated from 40 to 57. With eight targets in his earlier seven matches, this future superstar is within the coming sort of his occupation.
Marcos Llorente has scored 9 targets in 46 video video video video games beneath Diego Simeone. He managed one in 51 video video video video games beneath Zinedine Zidane at Precise Madrid.
One completely different key aspect of Atletico’s forward line is an individual’s unlikely decision whose occupation has been completely reworked by a thrilling night at Anfield: Marcos Llorente.
When Llorente was bought £35.9m from Precise Madrid inside {the summertime} of 2019, he was a defensive midfielder, signed as a novel for Manchester Metropolis-bound Rodri.
Nonetheless, Simeone often turned further impressed by his attacking capabilities, leading to Llorente altering Diego Costa from the bench in opposition to Liverpool in March to realize twice in 9 minutes, knocking the Champions League holders that year out of the 2019-20 opponents.
Forward of that fantastic evening, Llorente had scored solely six targets in 162 occupation appearances. Nonetheless, he is now undoubtedly actually one among La Liga’s finest forwards, lining up on the becoming wing with the freedom to assault the subject as sometimes as attainable.
Llorente has registered eight targets and 6 assists in 23 outings since Anfield and, contained within the 4-Zero win over Cadiz forward of the worldwide break, he turned the second participant solely – after Lionel Messi – to report every a carryout and an assist in4absolutelyutterlycompletelycompletely different video video video video games this yr.
His particular express explicit particular person transformation from a defensive midfielder into an all-action forward is a neat metaphor for a wider technique of change at Atletico on account of, after years of accusations that he is too damaging, Simeone now seems intent on making a much more attack-minded group.
Atletico is the second-highest scorers in La Liga with 17 targets in seven video video video video games, and their widespread of 4.86 footage on observing per sport is second solely to Barcelona.
Simeone has a diffusion of alternate options at his disposal and is de facto not solely relying on Suarez for goalscoring, confirmed by his option to go away the Uruguayan out of his squad for the present 3-1 win at Osasuna to allow him to leisure.
Suarez’s, in all probability-completely completely different this weekend, is dynamic and versatile Argentine Angel Correa, also whose 4 assists is now the joint highest in La Liga. In contrast, Costa may even be anticipated to be within the market after missing the earlier month with a hamstring injury.
Felix and Llorente, though, would be the essential males. And sustaining their sturdy start by claiming a commanding victory over Barca can be the very best resolution to {{Show}} that Atletico’s new sample could end in good components.
