Atlético scans the calendar: the double edge of starting later

This Saturday the 20-21 League begins … but not for Atlético. The rojiblancos enter the competition on the third day, the last weekend of September (26 or 27), because your vacation started later, on August 14. This means that the team will start from the bottom in the standings and that you will have to accelerate if you do not want to be off the hook soon, despite that wild card of the two postponed games. Those six points in the air, and which will take months to settle, are a double edged sword.

Atleti will meet an initial stretch of friendly calendar. Until the second stop you will only see with a rival theorist for European posts, Villarreal, that the Metropolitan will visit. Around the FIFA date of November receives Barça and by then Simeone's must be installed in the lead car.

Champions goal, but pressing …

The transmitted objective is to enter the Champions League, but the dressing room regrets that last year they fell so quickly from the title fight, despite starting with three wins. Oblak, in a recent interview with AS, expressed that disappointment: “The club sets a goal, but the one in my head was compete more with Barça and Madrid until the end. It could not be“. For this course, in addition, it won't work the extenuating of the transition. All parts are tailored and immediate performance will be required.

Key: physical preparation

The fear is that the team will not be physically fit for the premiere and for that works in Los Angeles de San Rafael. It has always been considered that the preseason is decisive for the competition and that in the Athletic it has been taken seriously, but this year it is assumed that, as happened in the final leg of the League and then in the Champions League, the physical form will be even more decisive. The October selection break will be used to continue recharging the batteries for those who do not leave.

It is essential to improve at home

In that first tour prior to Athletic-Barça, Simeone's have four games at the Metropolitano and three at home, where they should improve their numbers. The team will visit Huesca, Celta and Osasuna. It is not that they are simple, and more so with what it costs Atleti to win away from home, but neither are opponents called to be up. And to the rojiblanco home they will arrive Granada, Villarreal, Betis and Cádiz. The first three were beaten last year and the Cadiz will be released in the stadium.

One wrong step could leave the team upset against Madrid (who will take one more game) and Barça. Or seeing potential rivals like Villarreal or Real Sociedad to eight or ten points if they start fine, despite the tagline of 'with two games less' (Sevilla and Levante) that Atleti will have. It would be a lot of drag. And if the first section is kind, then the curves will come: Barça (matchday 10), Mestalla (11), Bernabéu (13), Reale Arena (15) … But that is far. The coaching staff is clear that, more than ever, starting at the top is essential.