Atlético is at its best moment in a long time and is, for many, the fittest competitor. The change since the World Cup is evident, in sensations and in numbers, which are hardly debatable. The rojiblanco team is already the best so far in the second round, with 23 points out of 27. Heading out to Europe, looking in the big leagues, there is no other team that has such a point average or that remains undefeated. Late, but Atleti flies.
Past the equator of the League, Cholo’s pupils have only missed two draws, at home with him Getafedue to a penalty against in the final stretch, and at the Bernabéu, with a goal from the locals in 85 ‘and playing the last half hour with one less due to the rigorous expulsion of Correa. The rest of the duels are counted as wins: Celtic, Athletic, Seville, Girona, Valencia, Betis and Rayo, the last five consecutively. Barça, after his puncture with Girona, remains at 22 points. Far away now, Celta and Villarreal appear, with 16. Madrid has 14, practically half of the possible. With 17 goals scored and only 4 conceded, Atleti is also the one with the best difference.
LaLiga classification in the second round
| Equipment | Pts. | P.J. | G. | AND | P | gf | GC | Diff G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Athletic | 23 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 13 |
| 2 | Barcelona | 22 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 12 |
| 3 | Celtic | 16 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| 4 | villarreal | 16 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| 5 | real Madrid | 14 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 8 | eleven |
| 6 | Athletic | 14 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 4 |
| 7 | Girona | 14 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 |
| 8 | Betis | 14 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 9 | Getafe | 13 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | eleven | 10 | 1 |
| 10 | Real society | 12 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| eleven | Cadiz | 12 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | eleven | -2 |
| 12 | Seville | eleven | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 18 | -6 |
| 13 | Osasuna | 10 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 |
| 14 | Majorca | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 12 | -2 |
| fifteen | Valladolid | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 19 | -10 |
| 16 | Vallecano Ray | 8 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 8 | eleven | -3 |
| 17 | Almeria | 8 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | eleven | 19 | -8 |
| 18 | Spanish | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | eleven | 17 | -6 |
| 19 | Valencia | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | eleven | -6 |
| twenty | Elche | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 18 | -10 |
For comparison, when the League stopped for the World Cup, there were 14 games and Atlético had only 24 pointsone more than now in five more games. From achieving in that initial section 57.1% of the points to 85.2% achieved so far in the second round. There is no remedy, but the club and the fans fantasize about what the season could have been without that disastrous pre-World Cup stage, with draws at home against Rayo and Espanyol (who played with ten players for an hour) and defeats in Cadiz and Majorca. The team dropped ten points in the five dates prior to Qatar.
Atleti looks strong, in defense and attack, and feels that now they could duel with anyone. In Europe there are many teams in shape, but none is as launched in their league as the rojiblanco. In England, the most connected is Arsenal, with 26 points out of 33 (78.8), but regrets a defeat with Everton (plus another with Manchester City in February, although it belongs to the first round). In Italy, Napoli, with the Scudetto on track, have lost two games at Maradona (Lazio and Milan) and adds 24 points out of 30 (80%) and in Germany, Dortmund threatens Bayern’s lead with a run of 25 points out of 30 (83.3%). In Ligue 1 nobody flies and the best in the second round are Stade Reims, Lyon and PSG, with 22 points in 11 games (66.7%).
