La Liga 2020-21: Decoding champions Atletico Madrid's season in numbers
On Saturday, Atletico Madrid were crowned champions of Spain after they beat Real Valladolid in the final gameweek of La Liga. On a dramatic day, Madrid clubs Atletico and Real were trailing in their respective games. However, both teams turned things around but a win for Real Madrid wasn't enough as rivals Atletico won with a two-point cushion. We highlight Atletico's season in numbers.
What happened on a dramatic Saturday?
Valladolid, who were relegated after their defeat, took a surprise first-half lead against Atletico. The visitors needed a response and Angel Correa equalized in the 57th minute. 10 minutes later, Luis Suarez scored the decisive second goal as Atletico held on. Meanwhile, Real went down 1-0 against Villarreal but they fought till the end. Karim Benzema and Luka Modric scored late goals.
Atletico collect 86 points in a defining campaign
Atletico ended the season on a high after having collected 86 points from 38 games. They registered 26 wins, eight draws, and four losses. They needed to win their final game and three crucial points handed them a deserved title. Atletico went on to score 67 goals this season which was the joint-second highest. However, they conceded the fewest goals (25).
Luis Suarez hits 21 goals, wins fifth La Liga trophy
Former Barcelona star Luis Suarez, who joined Atletico last summer, scored the winning goals in Atletico's final two matches. The 34-year-old netted his 21st La Liga goal this season. Notably, Suarez had also scored 21 goals the last time he won La Liga with Barcelona (2018-19). The celebrated striker has now won five La Liga titles across seven seasons in Spain.
Atletico's top performers in attack
Suarez ended as Atletico's top scorer and was involved in 24 goals (three assists). Besides his exploits, Marcos Llorente had a dream season. The Spanish mid-fielder netted 12 goals and made 11 assists, featuring in 37 league games. Angel Correa showed his mettle and produced his best season in terms of league goals (9). He also made eight assists.
Atletico didn't receive a single red card this season
Atletico registered the second-highest number of shots on target this season in La Liga (186). Barcelona, who finished third, had a staggering 243 shots on target. Meanwhile, Atletico scripted a unique record by not having any player sent off this season. They were the only side to achieve this mark. However, Atletico received 100 yellow cards in total.
Jan Oblak was superb in goal
Atletico goal-keeper Jan Oblak deserves a special mention. He made the most saves this season (103) and registered the highest number of clean sheets (18). He was one ahead of Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois (17).
