5 frontrunners for Atletico Madrid's Player of the Year award

For Atletico Madrid, it has been a season of two halves. The first: a slow, laboured opening to the season that coincided with a stadium move and a transfer ban, and resulted in far too many La Liga draws and a premature Champions League exit.

The second: a significant upturn in form, a return to something that resembled the Atletico of old, and a surge towards the last four of the Europa League. Briefly, they even threatened to challenge Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

To achieve that, Atletico will need big performances from their key players. Here are five who should be considered for the club’s Player of the Year. Had Atletico been consistent throughout the campaign, they would likely be challenging on all fronts now. That is not to say, however, that the season has been disappointing. A second-place finish in La Liga and a Europa League title would represent a not-too-unimpressive return.

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#5 Jan Oblak

"Jan is the best goalkeeper in the world," said Diego Simeone on Sunday. High praise, but after his performances this season that statement is difficult to dispute.

Jan Oblak kept yet another clean sheet, his fifth in ten matches, on Sunday, as Atletico beat Levante 3-0. He has conceded just 15 goals in 32 La Liga games.

It is easy to see why Oblak's manager holds him in such high regard. The Slovenian international was Atletico's best player in the Madrid derby earlier this month, a game that gave an indication of his value to a team that pride themselves on defensive solidity.

#4 Diego Godin

Diego Godin is the ideologue of Simeone's Atletico and has been for some time now.

The Uruguayan defender is rarely out of form; a player who relishes the challenge of bettering the records he has helped set during his time at the club.

In the 2015/16 season, Atletico conceded just 18 goals across 38 La Liga games. If they concede no more than two goals in their remaining six games this campaign, they will set a new club record.

At the heart of it, as always, is Godin.

#3 Saul Niguez

After an impressive 2016/17 campaign, Saul Niguez has continued to perform at a high level in Atletico's midfield this season.

He is just 23 but now appears almost a senior figure alongside the less experienced Thomas Partey.

The key for Simeone is that Saul offers both defensive and offensive contributions from his central role in midfield. He has emerged as a key player for Atletico and deserves plaudits for his performances this season.

#2 Thomas Partey

This has been a breakthrough season for Thomas Partey, who, for a long time, looked like he might not be of the level required to continue at Atletico.

He was sent out on loan to both Mallorca and Almeria and returned in 2015 with his future shrouded in doubt. But he took his opportunities and this season, has established himself as a regular in Simeone's midfield.

The Ghanian international is composed on the ball and has the necessary physicality to excel in Atletico's midfield. Given the improvements he has made to reach this point, it could be argued that Partey is worthy of being deemed Atletico's Player of the Year.

#1 Antoine Griezmann

Atletico's top scorer for the last three seasons is their top scorer again this season. Antoine Griezmann has 26 goals across all competitions and Simeone has, to an extent, relied upon his proficiency in front of goal.

Without the Frenchman, Atletico might have found things even more difficult in the first half of the season, before Diego Costa returned in January.

Griezmann has enjoyed another fruitful season, but the general consensus is that it will be his last for Atletico. If it is, he will be sorely missed in the Spanish capital.