Diego Costa leading title charge and other talking points as Atletico Madrid face Leganes before Barcelona clash

Aditya Devavrat 20:58 27/02/2018
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  • Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann are leading Atletico's title challenge.

    Atletico Madrid‘s stunning 5-2 win at Sevilla on Sunday served notice that there is still a title race in La Liga.

    Diego Simeone’s side are seven points behind leaders Barcelona, with the two sides set to face off on Sunday. Before that, they have a potentially tricky fixture against Leganes.

    Here are three talking points ahead of Wednesday’s game.

    CHAOTIC COSTA BACK TO HIS BEST

    Diego Costa was at his snarling, ferocious, chaotic best on Sunday. There was a 96-second spell that summed him up. He bundled Sevilla defender Gabriel Mercado to the floor, then barged into Clement Lenglet three separate times – the third of which saw Costa himself on the ground, protesting that he’d been fouled and ultimately receiving a yellow card for his troubles. Then he was off again, robbing Ever Banega and smashing home Atletico’s opener. The entire sequence of play was Costa in a nutshell.

    He’s scored five goals since his return from Chelsea, but more than that, Costa brings a sense of the old Atletico back to the club, the one that shocked everyone to win the league in 2013-14. There’s nobody who embodies Simeone’s style of play more.

    The biggest difference from that title-winning season is Costa’s supporting cast. In Antoine Griezmann, Atletico have a player who commands attention perhaps even more than their main striker. He scored a hat-trick against Sevilla, including a penalty earned by Costa, and the two players are benefitting from playing with each other.

    On Wednesday, Costa will bid to make Leganes, holders of La Liga’s joint fifth-best defence, his latest victims.

    Is there any player who embodies Atletico more?

    Is there any player who embodies Atletico more?

    ATLETICO’S DEFENCE TO GET A REST?

    Another similarity between this season and 2013-14 is the form of Atletico Madrid’s defence, which is yet again the best in the league. Anchored by the evergreen Diego Godin and fellow Uruguayan Jose Gimenez, Atletico have let in only 11 goals in the league – with the double-digit mark being breached only on Sunday when Sevilla scored two consolation goals after their visitors were 5-0 up.

    Leganes have already been struggling for goals – despite their own impressive defensive record, they have a goal difference of -7 because they’ve managed to score only 21 times this season. The only sides to have scored fewer are in the bottom three. It’s a testament to their defence that they’re still 11 points above the relegation zone, but an away fixture against the league’s stingiest defence will be a tall order for their misfiring attacking unit.

    Atletico’s real test will come on Sunday, when they travel to the Camp Nou knowing that they need a win to truly ignite the title race. Simeone may even take Wednesday’s fixture as an opportunity to rest some of his key figures in defence, given that the players who could step in – Lucas Hernandez and Stefan Savic among them – are more than capable.

    Godin and Felipe Luis are the familiar faces leading Atletico's defence.

    Godin and Felipe Luis are the familiar faces leading Atletico’s defence.

    HOW SERIOUSLY ARE ATLETICO TAKING THEIR TITLE CHALLENGE?

    Four seasons ago, Diego Simeone kept saying La Liga was an impossible target, even as they continued to pick up the results they needed. Until the final game – when they needed a draw against Barcelona to win the title – Atletico maintained their status as underdogs, with little hope of winning the ultimate prize.

    They’re underdogs again this time around, and at this point in time, it definitely does look like a long shot that they could topple Barcelona. The La Liga leaders, remember, are still unbeaten this season, 25 games in, and the fact that Atletico are even within touching distance is an achievement.

    But Wednesday’s fixture will offer a good sense of their mentality. Notwithstanding the fact that Simeone could rest a few players for the clash against Barcelona, the intensity on show will be a barometer. Atletico rarely dip below the full pelt setting, but with the opportunity to cut the gap down to four points, – Barcelona only play the following evening – a team they should beat in front of them, and a raucous, baying crowd behind them, this is a chance to send Ernesto Valverde’s men a warning, if the win over Sevilla wasn’t enough.

    Atletico have a chance to let Barcelona know they're coming.

    Atletico have a chance to let Barcelona know they’re coming.

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