#2. Rebuilding phase at Real Madrid and Barcelona
In order to win the league title, Atletico also need their two closest rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona to drop some unexpected points more often than not during the course of the season.
Barcelona have lost Andres Iniesta this summer and that could be a huge blow for them. They stuttered when they lost Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez in recent years and the same situation could repeat this summer.
As for Real Madrid, the situation is much worse. They have lost their four-time Champions League winning manager Zinedine Zidane and on top of that, their issues have been compounded by the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo.
While Real Madrid and Barcelona are coping with their respective losses, Atletico Madrid have retained their core and will be heading into the new season under a manager who has drilled his ideology into the side.