Atlético Madrid are currently chasing their first LaLiga title since 2013-14, and a win against Real Madrid in Sunday's derby could put them firmly on the path to victory.
Atlético Madrid are the closest they have been to a LaLiga title since they last lifted the trophy in 2014.
That 2014 race went down to the wire, with Atléti requiring a second-half equalizer from Diego Godín against Barcelona on the last day of the season at Camp Nou to secure the title, subsequently finishing just three points ahead of El Blaugrana. It was their first LaLiga title in 18 years.
A few weeks ago, it seemed Atlético Madrid’s path to a potential LaLiga title in 2021 would be an easier one than that in 2014. With 17 wins, three draws and just one loss in 21 games, Diego Simeone’s men were plain sailing as they went into back-to-back fixtures against mid-table Levante just over two weeks ago. But surprisingly, Los Rojiblancos drew away and lost at home against the Valencia-based outfit, picking up just one point from a possible six from the two fixtures.
The slip-ups against Levante have subsequently allowed Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have both lost four games this season, to close the gap to Altético to five points. Having enjoyed a bit of a resurgence of late, Barca and Madrid are level on 53 points in second in third place, respectively, with the former edging the latter on goal difference.
The five-point gap is a little too close for comfort now for Simeone. Though no doubt the Argentine coach would have taken that five-point gap over the big-two at this point of the season had he been asked in September.
Atlético, with 24 matches played, also have a one-game advantage over their two title rivals. And a rare win against Los Blancos in the Madrid derby on Sunday could be decisive to Atlético’s title hopes, perhaps giving them the psychological edge that they will need to take them to their second LaLiga title of the 21st century. Although, no doubt Simeone, and his title-chasing counterparts, Zinedine Zidane and Ronald Koeman, will reiterate that there will be still a long way to go no matter what the results of this weekend’s league action.
How many LaLiga titles have Atlético won?
If Altético does manage to go all the way in 2020-21, it will be the club’s 11th LaLiga title in its 117-year history. With its current tally of 10 league titles, Atlético sits third in the LaLiga leaderboard behind Real Madrid with 34 titles and Barcelona with 26.
Atlético’s first league title was won in the 1939-40 season, with the club retaining the LaLiga trophy in 1940-41. The Madrid outfit’s third championship came nine years later in 1949-50, with club again managing to retain the title in 1950-51.
Los Rojiblancos then had to wait 14 years for their fifth title in 1965-66, four years after their historic European Cup Winners' Cup victory in 1961-62. The following five titles came in 1969–70, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1995–96 and 2013–14.
Diego Simeone could join exclusive coach's club with 2021 Atlético LaLiga win
Should Atlético’s name be etched on the LaLiga trophy at the end of this season, Argentine coach Diego Simeone will become one of just three managers to win two league titles for the club, and the first in seven decades.
Interestingly, the second and last Atlético manager to become a two-time league winner was also Argentinean – Helenio Herrera, who managed to do so exactly 70 years ago in 1951 following his first league success the season prior.
The first manager to scoop two league titles for Atlético also did so in back-to-back seasons, with Spaniard Ricardo Zamora leading the club to their historic first and second league championships in 1940 and 1941.