Suárez, for a challenge only within the reach of Falcao and Griezmann

Last season, Atlético found the scorer they wanted so much. Luis Suárez fell from the sky, discarded by Barcelona and with a negligible cost and Simeone molded his game system to enhance the characteristics of the Uruguayan, who despite his seniority continues to be an extraordinary finisher in the area.

Suárez arrived after a very complicated preseason, separated from the Blaugrana team, joining Atlético very close to the start of the league and with his physical condition in doubt. But he dispelled any uncertainty as soon as he put on the red and white shirt, with a double plus an assist in the league debut against Granada despite coming off the bench. Cholo's goal was clear, to supply balls to Suárez close to the rival goal, and for this he opted for a more offensive team and friend of possession. Two long lanes that reached the baseline, Koke generating game in the center of the field and the explosion of Marcos Llorente as scorer and assistant.

And Suárez responded perfectly. He was adding so many fundamentals to give points to Atlético, LaLiga leader from start to finish and that closed the first round with 50 points and 14 goals from the gunman. On matchday 28 he would score his 19th goal to defeat Alavés 1-0 in another sample of the leading role in front of goal. But, after a muscular injury, the aim was losing precision. The pursuers reduced the advantage of Atlético and there were a few last days with everything at stake.

“It is the Suarez area”, Simeone predicted. And he was not wrong. He appeared when the team needed him most, got the goal to overcome Osasuna in the 88th minute of the penultimate day, when it seemed that LaLiga escaped to the Santiago Bernabéu and scored the final goal for the title in Valladolid in a new comeback, certifying a triumph that made Atlético champion of its eleventh League. A total of 21 so many keys that directly accounted for 21 points, a relevance in the team's results that only Diego Costa had achieved in the previous league title with his 27 goals in the 2013-14 season.

Once the objective has been achieved, the '9' prepares for the next great challenge. And it is that in the whole XXI century only two footballers have reached 20 goals in two different league seasons with Atlético: Radamel Falcao and Antoine Griezmann. In the case of the Colombian, he only needed two years at the club to achieve it. In his first rojiblanco course (2011-12), where Simeone took over the team mid-season, Falcao finished with 24 goals in the League and 36 also counting the Europa League, two of them in the final against Athletic to win 3-0. In his second and final season at Atlético, I would say goodbye with 28 goals scored in the league competition, 34 adding the European Super Cup (hat-trick), the Copa del Rey (two) and the Europa League (one).

In the case of Griezmann, whose future has once again been related to Atlético and the club will continue to try as a luxury reinforcement for the forward, he surpassed 20 goals in the league in two of his five seasons at the club despite not playing as a center forward. And it was in the first two, reaching 22 goals in the two (2014-15 and 2015-16). Counting all the competitions, Griezmann's numbers speak for themselves: 25, 32, 26, 29 and 21 goals year after year, always as the benchmark of the team. Now, Luis Suárez wants to be the next to overcome the 20-goal barrier in two consecutive seasons.

Since Atlético's return to the First Division, there are six players who have reached this figure in at least one league season: Suárez (21, in 2020-21), Griezmann (22 in 2014-15 and 2015-16), Falcao (24 and 28 in 2011-12 and 2012-13), Diego Costa (27 goals in 2013- 14), Forlán (32 in 2008-09 to win the Golden Boot) and Kun Agüero (20 in 2010-11). Suárez wants to continue marking his name in the club's history based on goals.