Atlético faces a game that could be historic. Simeone's team faces Osasuna in the penultimate step towards the league title. It will be the final if the rojiblancos win and Real Madrid does not. But the Cholo team always had two premises since the arrival of the Argentine coach: the already universal match by match and looking at yourself and not others (follow the meeting live on As.com).
The Athletic depends on itself and the first thing is to defeat a Navarrese team that will arrive at the Wanda Metropolitano without stress or nerves, since nothing is at stake. He has achieved salvation and will be one more year among the best in Spanish football. This also has a double premise: he who plays everything always risks and exposes more, although playing something more relaxed makes you enjoy football. Atlético, who have been the leader since November, have two finals ahead. Osasuna is the first and the objective is none other than to win. Playing good, bad or regular, but the three points have to stay at home.
Of the ten league championships that Atlético has, in nine they won the title on the last day. In one he did it in the penultimate (76-77) and with a taste of glory, because it was in Chamartín. Atlético, then, is used to this. Do not ask him to win LaLiga five or six days in advance and taking a lot of advantage over his rivals. That does not go with the athletic ones. The particular way of the rojiblanco club to understand this indicates that Atlético wins by suffering, suffering to the end. Nothing new happens now that has not happened before. And Cholo knows it.
The Argentine coach has them all except Lemar, which is already a lot at this point in the season. For many games he had no players to complete the list but now he has a choice. It seems that he will continue to trustndo in those who have led the team here, with Marcos Llorente, Carrasco and Luis Suárez in more offensive positions. I could go João Félix for Correa and, if so, the Argentine would act as a shock.
The strength of the Wanda Metropolitano
Atlético trust it to their power as a group, to their good game in recent games and to Wanda Metropolitano. Only the Levante, in a match where the Madrid team had very clear chances, has been able to win in the fiefdom of Atlético in this League. Cholo knows that if they play like they did at the Camp Nou or a good part against Real, they will win. The team overcame a thousand adversities and is still up, standing, with pride intact.
OSASUNA
Osasuna, for his part, already knows what it is to sour Atlético's party. He did it on a very special date for the Madrid entity and that match was recorded forever. Osasuna won 0-1 at the Calderón in the match that he celebrated 100 years of the rojiblanco club (04-26-2003). Iván Rosado struck the hearts of thousands of mattress fans. Almost nothing. That is why at Atlético the ghosts of the past always appear and that is what their rivals cling to. To that fatalism that haunts Atlético at specific moments in its history. Arrasate will want to give a good image and has Budimir on a roll. Along with him another notable player, Chimy Avila, although it seems that he will occupy the bench, and a group that has known how to defend Osasuna well in the First Division. Unai and David García they could still lag behind.
There will be no public in the Wanda but there will be outside the stadium. The fans gathered at their doors to support the team against Real. And this time it will be the same. Many will go to cheer on Simeone's. They will not watch the game, but that matters little. Yes to give encouragement to a team that can enter athletic history and that wants to give joy to a hobby that needs it.