It’s no secret that the magnificent front three of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar will go a long way towards deciding the outcome of Wednesday’s ‘New Clasico’ between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.
After all, the dynamic trio have already combined for 17 goals this season, including ten in their last two games alone, so their significance cannot really be overstated. If they click, Barca will probably win.
But that’s not the only tale to tell ahead of the tantalising tussle at the Nou Camp, because Atletico are quickly putting together a pretty handy forward line of their own.
After a slow start, which saw them only score one goal – a penalty – in their opening two league games against newly promoted Alaves and Leganes, Diego Simeone’s men are catching fire.
MSN 251 goals in less than 2 years! pic.twitter.com/ZSYUk86Pkp
— Football Facts (@FootbalIFact) September 19, 2016
Atletico have scored nine goals in their last two La Liga outings, following up a 4-0 dismantling of Celta Vigo by doling out an even more comprehensive 5-0 thrashing to Sporting Gijon on Saturday.
The zeroes are no surprise whatsoever, because Atletico have long been famed for their watertight defensive play, only conceding a miserly 18 goals in La Liga last season.
But the volume of goals in the other column, with nine scored in two games, are more notable, because Simeone’s team have always been better known for grinding out a dour 1-0 than giving their opponents a good walloping.
That could be about to change.
Los Rojiblancos have invested heavily into their strike force in the last couple of summers, and now the fruits of their determined investment are starting to ripen.
First and foremost, Saturday’s victory over Sporting suggested that Antoine Griezmann and new recruit Kevin Gameiro are developing the on-field chemistry everyone expected to see between two hard-working and ambitious French forwards.
As soon as Gameiro was snapped up from Sevilla for a hefty €32 million this summer, the universal conclusion was that he would prove to be a perfect fit for Atletico: his pace, power, eye for goal, ability on the counter-attack and relentless work ethic all added up to make him exactly the kind of player who should thrive under Simeone.
At first, however, he struggled. Although he netted the penalty in the opening day 1-1 draw against Alaves, Gameiro didn’t look entirely comfortable and he was substituted early in the following week’s draw at Leganes.
But Saturday’s victory over Sporting, when he provided a neat assist for Griezmann in the first minute and scored a terrific second a few minutes later, suggested that Gameiro has now found his feet in red and white – this time when he was replaced after 60 minutes, it was to a standing ovation rather than frustrated shrugs, and Atletico’s all-French strike partnership is realising its potential.
Le show @AntoGriezmann et @kevingameiro9 les 3 buts #ATMSPO pic.twitter.com/lYIkC0TcFp
— FOOT MANIA (@fearce_sasha) September 17, 2016
The supply lines aren’t bad, either.
In addition to fast and direct Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco, who was outstanding in Atletico’s unlucky 2-1 league defeat at the Nou Camp last season, Simeone can now call upon an entirely different type of player in the form of summer signing Nicolas Gaitan, whose tricky dribbling skills are perfect for unlocking tight defences.
There’s also young Argentine Angel Correa, who chipped in with a fair few goals from the bench last season and continued his progression by setting up Fernando Torres on Saturday.
Ah yes, Fernando Torres. On top of Griezmann, Gameiro, Gaitan, Carrasco and Correa, Atletico also have the option – the last resort, if you wish to be unkind – of the old warhorse Torres, who always seems to score against Barcelona.
They might not be quite as good as MSN, but discount Atletico’s strike force at your peril.
