Atletico Madrid: Can they break Madrid and Barcelona dominance?

Atletico Madrid have been the better of the Madrid clubs this season.

Atletico Madrid look like the team that can finally break into the top two of LaLiga after years of dominance by Real Madrid and Barcelona.

It has been nine years since any team other than Barcelona and Real Madrid won the Spanish league. Valencia was the last team that won the title in 2003-04 season, and since, only the Catalans and Los Blancos that have been crowned the champions of Spain. Such has been the rivalry between the clubs and the history they share that no other club can think to come close.

Real Madrid have won the league a record 32 times while Barcelona have won the LaLiga 22 times since its commencement in 1929. Spanish league is considered a two-side affair, contested by Barcelona and Real Madrid. Such is the dominance of the two sides that it was back in the 2007-08 season that a club other than the clasico rivals finished in the top two, when Villarreal came in second behind title winner Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid this season have shown the maturity and the desire to finally be the team that breaks the monopoly of LaLiga. The capital club have won the league title nine times, the most by any team outside the ‘top two’. Los Rojiblancos ended the 2012-13 season in the third place, nine points behind rivals Real Madrid. They won the Copa Del Rey defeating rivals Real Madrid 2-1 in the process. They have continued their resurgence this season by performing admirably and registered another win in the Madrid derby winning 1-0 in a gap of a few months. They currently sit second in the table, three points behind league leaders Barcelona and lead Real by the same difference.

Not only is the points tally impressive for a team assembled for a nickel compared to the ‘Galacticos’ of their cross-town rivals, but the sheer talent that Rojiblancos produce is excellent. Over the years world class strikers have taken the field for the team. Fernando Torres, Diego Forlan, Sergio Aguero, Radamel Falcao and the latest addition to the list is the new goal scoring machine, Diego Costa. The Brazilian has taken the LaLiga by storm and has 14 goals as compared to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 17. With the addition of David Villa to the attacking line, Atletico Madrid’s attack looks one of the best in LaLiga. Add to that the dynamism of Raul Garcia, creative flair of Turan and the attacking threat of Filipe Luis. Koke, the creative fulcrum for Simeone’s side has been on the list of many top European clubs has been impressive this season as well.

The 7-0 thrashing of Getafe overshadowed the 5-0 victory of Real Madrid over Almeria. The win caps the many impressive performances from the Rojiblancos during the short course of this season while establishing themselves as serious title contenders. If Diego Simeone’s side stay focused and avoid injuries to key players, this may be the season when we see the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid shaken.