The 2013-14 La Liga campaign will always be remembered as the season when Atletico Madrid finally ended Barcelona and Real Madrid’s 10-year stranglehold on the title.
The success of Diego Simeone’s men is a remarkable achievement considering the financial constraints under which they are operating, and this Atletico team have already guaranteed legendary status even if they lose this Saturday’s Champions League final.
To an extent, it had been coming after their third-place finish and Copa del Rey triumph last season. Rather than being totally unexpected, Atletico’s success has been building under the mesmeric Diego Simeone for quite a while.
But the factor that made the difference, turning them from contenders into winners, was Diego Costa’s sensational goalscoring form which, it is fair to say, nobody had seen coming.
To put Costa’s 27-goal season into perspective, it’s worth remembering he had never previously scored more than 10 league goals in a season.
This time around, he exceeded that tally by October, frequently winning games more or less single-handedly and establishing himself as one of the best strikers in Europe.
However, it should also be acknowledged that Atletico’s title triumph was partially due to a season of significant under-achievement for both Barca and Madrid.
The former, it is clear, are undergoing a period of great change. The now-departed Tata Martino was operating with one hand tied behind his back, especially considering the off-pitch turmoil he had to deal with, and the imbalanced nature of his squad (no strikers, lack of pace and physicality in midfield, lack of height all over the pitch) gave him little chance, especially with compatriot Lionel Messi a million miles below his best.
There has been a transitional period at the Bernabeu, too, with the after-effects of Jose Mourinho’s divisive reign taking a few months to heal.
Although it took him until November to figure out how to do it, new boss Carlo Ancelotti did a good job in steering his team towards a more entertaining and open style of play whilst maintaining defensive solidity.
Ultimately, Madrid’s title challenge was undermined by two things: a poor start while they worked their way through the mess left behind by Mourinho, and a poor finish as they allowed their focus to be distracted by their all-consuming desire for a 10th European title.
Barca may take some time to rebuild, but if Real stick with Ancelotti – even if they lose the Champions League final – they’ll be a force again next season.
Elsewhere, the most welcome news was a great season for Athletic Bilbao, who clinched fourth to return to the Champions League after a 15-year absence.
At the bottom, Real Betis looked doomed practically from the beginning, and practically half the teams in the division were involved in the relegation fight at some point.
Rayo Vallecano did brilliantly to pull themselves clear while the previously dire Getafe and Almeria rescued themselves with a late run, leaving Real Valladolid and Osasuna as the unlucky victims.
PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Diego Costa
Although Atletico’s team-first ethic doesn’t lend itself to recognising individuals, Costa’s goals and ability to lead the line – especially in the first half of the season – made the difference in the title race.
YOUNG PLAYER
Aymeric Laporte
The Frenchman, who turns 20 next week and can play at leftback or centre-back, enjoyed a magnificent season to help Athletic Bilbao into fourth place and spark speculation of a move to Barcelona.
BEST SIGNING
Mikel Rico
The central midfielder only cost Athletic Bilbao an initial €3 million (Dh15.1m) from Granada, and he’s proven to be worth far more than that by adding energy and dynamism to the Basque team’s midfield.
SURPRISE PACKAGE
Jese Rodriguez
Real Madrid Alvaro Morata was supposed to be Madrid’s rising star this season, but the energetic, direct and versatile Jese roared past him, scoring eight goals before his season was cruelly ended by injury in March.
BEST GOAL
Pedro Leon (Getafe) v Real Betis, October 6, 2013
When Getafe won a free-kick between the edge of the centre circle and the right touchline, a routine cross into the box seemed inevitable. But Leon smashed it over disbelieving Betis keeper Guillermo Sara and into the top corner.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona, March 24, 2014
A frenetic evening of action containing everything: goals, penalties, cards, controversy and changes in momentum. At the end, Barca appeared to have reignited their title challenge…how wrong we were.
BEST MANAGER
Diego Simeone
The most straightforward choice in any end of season poll. A truly inspirational job and he should also be recognised with the FIFA Coach of the Year award.
FLOP OF THE YEAR
Neymar
After scoring in October’s Clasico, he seemed set to shine. But injuries and the controversy generated by his contract ensured that was a rare highlight.
