Atlético Madrid’s LaLiga Crisis: A Stat That Speaks Volumes
After stringing together eight consecutive wins and finishing the first half of the season as leaders, Atlético Madrid has hit a worrying slump in LaLiga. In their first two matches of the second half, Diego Simeone's squad has only managed one point—a 1-0 loss to Leganés and a 1-1 draw against Villarreal. Despite 39 total shots and 14 on target in these games, Atlético has managed just one goal, highlighting a striking lack of efficiency.
A Sharp Drop in Offensive Power
This offensive drought hasn’t just cost Atlético points but also their spot at the top of the table. The Colchoneros now sit four points behind Real Madrid, the new leaders of LaLiga EA Sports. “The season is long. We’ll stick to our philosophy: one match at a time,” Simeone said after the draw against Villarreal at the Metropolitano.
In that game, Atlético fired 21 shots, with 9 on target, and recorded an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.39, but scored only once—a goal from Samuel Lino, who canceled out Villarreal’s opener from a penalty scored by Marcelino García Toral's side.
Troubling Trends in Recent Matches
Across their clashes with Leganés and Villarreal, Atlético racked up a combined xG of 5.27 but only found the back of the net once. This is a stark contrast to their season average, where they’ve netted 34 goals in 21 games, scoring approximately once every 7.2 shots. Over the last two matches, however, they’ve needed 39 shots to produce a single goal.
Their last comparable misstep was in Matchday 3 against Espanyol, where they also failed to score despite 23 shots and an xG of 3.1. This lack of finishing touch is proving costly during a pivotal phase of the season.
Champions League Pressure Looms
Atlético’s next challenge comes on Wednesday in the Champions League against Red Bull Salzburg. With a packed schedule—this will be their sixth game in 17 days—Simeone will have to navigate without Pablo Barrios (suspended after his red card against Bayer Leverkusen) and Javi Galán, sidelined with an ankle sprain. A win would secure Atlético’s spot in the quarterfinals, while a draw would leave their fate dependent on other results.
