Atletico Madrid - Opposition Views

[Steve 10,227]

Derek Maaijen from www.AtleticoFans.com has kindly taken part in an Interview for our upcoming UEFA Super Cup match with Atletico Madrid.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to complete this interview. It's very much appreciated! We will start with an easy question, how long have you supported Atletico Madrid for and what made you become a supporter?

My interest in Atletico was piqued when I first saw a kid play, one you as Chelsea fans are well familiar with. When a 20-year old Fernando Torres entered the pitch and nutmegged a Portuguese defender with one of his first touches to get his opponent booked, I knew this was a striker I'd like to keep an eye on. This was during the European Championships in 2004 in which Spain were knocked out early, but I had seen enough to start following Fernando Torres and his boyhood club Atlético Madrid.

It started with checking their scores in the paper - only to see if El Niño had scored - but now eight years later it is much more about the club than an individual. From my living room in Holland I watch every game live and I make sure to make the trip to Madrid a few times a year to see the boys live in action. The highlights of my Atleti supporting years are undoubtedly the two Europa League final wins that I witnessed in person.

As a foreigner following the club, I noticed that there was a demand for but a huge shortage of information in English about Atlético de Madrid. That's why I, along with some dear friends, launched AtléticoFans.com on 1 August 2010. I'm proud to say that since then we have created a big community on the website, forum, Twitter and Facebook which has allowed me to meet and befriend a great amount of both Spanish and non-Spanish Atlético fans.

Tell us a bit about your amazing win in the Europa League last season. Was it quite a surprise like it was for most Chelsea supporters winning the Champions League?

The Champions League is the main stage for club football in Europe. The Europa League on the other hand doesn't have much of that glamour, prestige or prize money associated with it and I feel that many clubs take the competition game by game. There are usually so many participants and no clear favorites, so nobody is sure just how far they'll reach.

Even the most biased Rojiblanco fans will have to admit that we were very fortunate on multiple occasions during our successful Europa League run of 2010, in which we only won one game in regular time but still managed to take home the trophy.

Last year however, we dominated the cup competition from the start. We played our first qualifying games in July and racked up a total of 17 wins in 19 appearances. A record to go along with our historic European streak of 10 consecutive wins. On a personal level I must say that winning the 2012 Europa League felt much better than two years earlier, because we - and Radamel Falcao and Adrián in particular - absolutely dominated all games.

How will the loss of your playmaker, Diego, affect the way Atletico will approach the game against Chelsea?

Atlético coach Diego Simeone has tried to find a direct replacement for Diego Ribas, so as not to have to change his formation. But whether it be the creative Turkish winger Arda Turan or the more defensive Spanish midfielders Raúl García or Koke, it is certain we will miss the Brazilian extra class and ability to unlock even the tightest defences. For years Atlético have been searching for a proper anchorman playmaker and it was heartbreaking to have to say goodbye after just a single season after we finally found one. Diego last season was the missing link between Atleti's rigid six man defence and the lethal forwards up front.

In Atlético's 4-2-3-1 formation it will most likely be Arda Turan or Spain youth international Koke playing a central role, with either the Turk or Adrián López playing on the right wing.

Thibaut Courtois seems to have settled in at Atletico very well, what can you tell us about his time there to date?

During his debut season, Courtois was able to make fans forget about the departed David de Gea in just a handful of games. The arrival of the Belgian shotstopper was met with scepticism in Madrid, as nobody had heard of the lanky 'keeper who had only just completed his first season in the lowly regarded Belgian league. The fact that Thibaut joined on a one year loan without a purchase option felt belittling to Atlético fans, as it makes us seem like a feeder club to Europe's elite.

But Courtois' solid and confident performances - along with his public praise for the club and its fans - made him a fan favorite quickly after he earned the #1 spot. Although seemingly a pipedream, his statement that he'd like to continue at Atlético for years opened the doors for at least another season at the Vicente Calderón, a move that every fan was hoping for after his first year. This also provides him with a great opportunity to play against Chelsea in the Super Cup and showcase his talents to the Blues' staff and fans.

What are your expectations for the remainder of the season and where do you think Atletico will finish in the La Liga?

Atlético have only one goal and that is making it to the Champions League. We've missed out on the competition the last three seasons, but it's absolutely vital to qualify this seasons. If not for the desperately needed financial boost, then because it is our only hope of retaining our star players.

Along with Valencia, we will be favorites to claim the 3rd spot behind the big two, but Málaga will also have a say in it. While on paper Atlético's player material seems to have regressed comparing to last season, it is the arrival of Diego Simeone last January that boosts our confidence. El Cholo's record since taking over reads as follows: 20 wins, 8 draws and 5 losses (57 GF, 26 GA).

Are there any players in your youth setup that you expect big things from in the future?

A 17-year old by the name of Óliver Torres has been making a name for himself this pre-season with inspiring performances in most friendlies. The youth product was integral to Spain U19 in their European Championship win in July and is said to be high on the scouting lists of the elite clubs in the Premier League. This season Oli has been promoted to Atlético's B-team, but he has been closely involved with the first team and was selected for our first two league fixtures of the season. Against Levante he came on in the second half, while he was an unused substitution in Monday's 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Club. It's because of the void that the aforementioned Diego Ribas left, that the Atlético faithful are excited by the prospect of this young playmaker breaking through at the Vicente Calderón. If everything goes well, then he'll be the next big thing coming out of Atlético's cantera system, just like another Torres before him.

What do think about your old boy Fernando Torres, Do you think he can finally hit form for Chelsea and do you believe his move to Chelsea was a right one?

'Nando will always have a special place in the heart of every Atlético fan. During the darkest days of the club's history it was the boy with the golden locks that provided a spark to bring us back after the only two years Atlético spent in Spain's second division, commonly referred to as two years in hell. It weren't his goals that made him the most popular player in recent history, but the prospect of him leading the club back to glory that made the fans hope for better days.

When Torres announced his transfer to Liverpool in 2007 the fans were heartbroken, but unlike the recently departed De Gea or Kun Agüero, he was unanimously wished the best of luck by the fans that he had brought so much joy.

It's been agonizing to watch Torres during his first 18 months at Chelsea, but hopefully his performances early in this season are an indication of what's to come. I believe many Atlético fans still love Fernando so much, that they wouldn't mind him scoring against us on Friday. As long as it doesn't mean that he'll end up being on the winning side.

Falcao, Aguero, Forlan, Torres. Rate them in order!

This is a nearly impossible question and it's almost impossible to believe that a club like Atlético, who have had to come from so far since the turn of the century, have had these superstars on their books. There are few clubs who have had a selection of four forwards of this caliber at their disposal, ever.

It depends purely on what you want of and look for in a player how you determine this list. He's been only one season at the club, but Radamel Falcao might already be the best striker this club has ever had. Statistically he has had an unbelievable season and he's started this season with another hat-trick, so he's not quite done scoring yet.

Diego Forlán almost single handedly won the Europa League title in 2010 and was key when we last qualified for the Champions League. Fernando Torres was the one that made me and many other kids a fan of Atlético, and as explained above he'll always be incredibly popular among Atléticos.

But if I had to pick a player from this amazing quartet, then it would be Kun Agüero. He's disliked by many for the way he left the club, but for me he'll always be the talent with the highest ceiling. While the other 3 are lethal finishers and unstoppable in their own way, it was Kun who made dazzling runs and scored the most impossible goals.

How do you think you will set up to stop out attacking players Hazard and Mata? They have been very good together since the start of the season. Do you think you can stop them?

Chelsea can boast an offence that could see the Blues challenge for the EPL title. I've had to pleasure of watching your first league games and it seems Hazard has hit the ground running, while Mata will make any team better. Between them, Torres and the untapped potential of Oscar I'll have to admit Chelsea are scary good.

Two of our best performers last season are Filipe Luis and European champ Juanfran, who play on the left and right side of defence respectively. Their biggest strength lies in their offensive prowess, but they're more than capable defensively - even if Juanfran is a winger who has only been playing in defence since last season!

Atleti play a zone defence and one of Diego Godín and Miranda will pick up Torres, while the defensive midfield duo Mario and Gabi will attempt to cut off Chelsea's passing lanes.

If you could sign one Chelsea player who would it be any why?

Atleti really need a creative midfielder like Mata or Oscar, who can play in between the lines.

But there's only one possible answer here: let the Kid come home.

Which player/s should we watch out for this weekend?

Falcao is our best and most dangerous player, but while the Colombian draws all the attention, Chelsea should be wary not to lose sight of Adrián. The Perfect-7 roams out wide and can beat any defender with his pace and technique. Last season he had an underrated European campaign, in which he scored 11 goals, but it seems this season he hasn't found his best form yet - perhaps duo to a disappointing Olympic tournament. Another player looking to profit from Falcao's presence is Arda Turan, the Turk whose role has been upgraded this summer and so far the Turk has been able to live up to expectations.

Do you think this is an important game for Atletico or do you consider it a glorified friendly?

The UEFA Super Cup is a great chance to win silverware. It's a single game in which anything can happen. Still, this match doesn't have quite the appeal a game between two European champions should have. Whether it's because of the venue (the Luis II lacks any emotion) or the fact that it's played so early in the season, I'm not sure.

Finally, what do you think the final score will be and who will be the scorer/s?

Chelsea are clear favorites, but there's a general feeling among Atleti fans that we have a good chance to win. We're confident after beating Inter in Monaco two years ago, in a game in which we were also considered underdogs. Nobody likes a cynic so I'm going for a 2-1 Atlético win, with Falcao and Adrián the scorers on our end.

Just want to say a big thank you to Derek for the amount of effort that he has put into this interview. This is by far the best response we have had for one of these opposition views. Again thank you from everyone at Talkchelsea.net!

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[We Hate Scouse 10,260]

The best yet. Enjoyed reading through it.

[Jype 6,398]

Wow, that guy really put some effort in answering those questions and I think it's safe to say that this is the best 'opposition views' thingy ever.

[DDA 9,570]

When i get paid Steve mate I'm definitely buying you a beer.

[Steve 10,227]

When i get paid Steve mate I'm definitely buying you a beer.

Took me a while to find someone, but glad I put in the effort after that amazing response!

[Strike 6,958]

When i get paid Steve mate I'm definitely buying you a beer.

Steve doesn't deserve the beer... TC members suggested the questions!

but if anyone deserves a beer, its Derek Maaijen for the response he has given to the questions

[Steve 10,227]

Steve doesn't deserve the beer... TC members suggested the questions!

but if anyone deserves a beer, its Derek Maaijen for the response he has given to the questions

Joke right? This is more time consuming then you might think.

[Strike 6,958]

Joke right? This is more time consuming then you might think.

yeah mate. not serious

but what happens exactly though? you look around for english forums of the club concerned and post your questions there?

[Tortilla9 390]

Thanks, Steve, for getting us a different perspective. Talking about different perspective, here's an article from a Spanish blog talking about Torres and Atleti and where it all began with his grandfather. The roots run deep.

http://www.football-espana.net/23447/el-nino-who-would-be-king

[Steve 10,227]

yeah mate. not serious

but what happens exactly though? you look around for english forums of the club concerned and post your questions there?

Basically. Have to get permission and be polite and I get a lot of stick from other fans as expected. Not every team just accepts what I am there for. For the Newcastle game, I was abused by one of the members in about four different posts.... Good times!