Atletico Madrid’s rise over the last few years under Diego Simeone has been underpinned by a stingy defence, and this season is no different.
While inconsistency up front has seen Atletico fall behind in La Liga’s title race – they currently lie fifth in the table ahead of their game on Sunday against Celta Vigo – the trademark defensive solidity is still there.
Only Villarreal has conceded fewer goals than Atletico this season, and, as the WhoScored.com stats below show, no team has kept more clean sheets in the league.
After first-choice goalkeeper Jan Oblak went down with a shoulder injury in December, Miguel Angel Moya has stepped up to the plate to ensure that Atletico’s defence hasn’t skipped a beat.
Simeone’s focus on building a strong foundation at the back and instilling a high work rate in his players has been crucial to Atletico’s recent success.
Atlético Madrid: Have kept more clean sheets (12) than any other team in La Liga this season pic.twitter.com/YgAUl1haEw
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 12, 2017
That foundation should hold the team in good stead as they look to recover from an indifferent start to this season and qualify for the Champions League again.
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