Thanks to their victory in Valladolid, Atlético de Madrid won on May 22, 2021 their first Spanish league title since 2014. – Cesar Manso / AFP
Luis Suarez can smile. Invited to find another club by FC Barcelona last summer, the Uruguayan center-forward had a hollow nose when he joined Atlético de Madrid. And vice versa. Suarez scored the victorious goal this Saturday in Valladolid (1-2) which allows the Colchoneros to win the eleventh Spanish league title in their history, the first since 2014 under the Diego Simeone era.
Their runner-up, Real, won at the same time in Villarreal (1-2). The “White House” only believed in the space of a few seconds. Led 1-0 at the break like “Atleti”, Zinédine Zidane’s men thought they had equalized by a header from Karim Benzema (56th) … but while his goal was reviewed and canceled by the video referee, at the same time , Angel Correa equalized with a sharp point in Valladolid, before the goal of the victory therefore Luis Suarez (67th), for the “Colchoneros”. Benzema caught up at the end of the match, with a valid skylight, this time (87th), followed by a victorious but insufficient goal from Luka Modric (90th + 2).
, …
🅾, 🅾, 🅾 !!!!!#CampeonesPartidoAPartido pic.twitter.com/jHUIGp1VJa
– Atlético de Madrid (@AtletiFR) May 22, 2021
Barça, third and ejected from the title race last week, concluded their season without Lionel Messi but with a nice goal from Antoine Griezmann and a victory at Eibar, 1-0.
This is only the second time in 16 years that a team has managed to break the hegemony of Real and Barça in La Liga, after the feat of the “Rojiblancos” themselves in 2014, also sealed on the last day. .
Simeone’s revenge
A coronation that has a taste of revenge for Atlético and his coach-totem Diego Simeone. After the departure of many executives in the summer of 2019 (Antoine Griezmann, Lucas Hernandez, Diego Godin …) and after a season undermined by the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the Argentinian technician has been able to reinvent himself to find the perfect alchemy, and hoist his team on the roof of Spain.
This masterpiece elevates Simeone even more to the rank of living legend of the Madrid club: the Argentine technician, in post since December 2011 and under contract until June 2022, compiles two Europa League titles (2012, 2018), two finals of Champions League lost to Real (2014, 2016), and now two Spanish Championships (2014, 2021).
Bathing prohibited in Madrid
The “rojiblancos” supporters will however have to calm their ardor and do without the traditional bath in the fountain of Neptune as on every evening of glory at Atlético: the Madrid authorities have banned gatherings to avoid any overflow, while the health situation s ‘improved in Spain for several weeks.