The Role of Substitutes in Atletico Madrid’s Remarkable 11-Game Winning Streak
Atletico Madrid has achieved an impressive streak of 11 consecutive victories — among which six are in La Liga — marking their finest performance since the fall of 2012.
Diego Simeone’s side now stands level with Barcelona at the summit of the league table, with an extra game in hand. Their forthcoming challenge? Facing Barca at their temporary venue, Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, this Saturday.
Simeone has not secured an away victory at Barca in his 13 years as Atletico’s coach, yet this occasion might offer his best opportunity. Hansi Flick’s team has only managed one win in the last six La Liga matches, suffering home losses to 14th-placed Las Palmas and 15th-placed Leganes.
If Atletico succeeds in clinching the three points, it’s almost certain that Simeone’s tactical substitutions played a significant role — their winning surge has predominantly been fueled by contributions from the bench.
In last Sunday’s encounter between Atletico and Getafe held at the Estadio Metropolitano, the score was 0-0 at halftime. Atletico had dominated the first 45 minutes but failed to convert any of their eight chances.
Simeone, as he frequently does, opted to alter the lineup at halftime. Off came left-winger Samuel Lino, who squandered two clear first-half opportunities. Enter striker Alexander Sorloth, joining Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez in an altered attacking formation.
Ten minutes into the second half, Simeone substituted his son, forward Giuliano Simeone for Angel Correa, maintaining a similar configuration on the right wing. Soon thereafter, Nahuel Molina replaced Marcos Llorente at right-back. With only 63 minutes elapsed, midfielder Koke became the fourth substitute, coming on for Griezmann, leading to another shift in tactical setup.
The score remained unchanged for a while but did not stay that way for long. In the 69th minute, Molina’s cross evaded everyone and was headed back across goal into the net by Sorloth, securing Atletico’s 11th consecutive victory across all competitions, a feat not experienced since the early days of Simeone’s regime.
Simeone also masterminded an 11-game winning streak in 2012 (Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Before the game, I spoke with the players,” Simeone remarked later. “There are players who are competing extraordinarily when they get a chance to come in. Llorente and Giuliano came off, and Nahuel and Correa went on. Sorloth replaced Lino. Koke came off the bench. That is our strength.”
The statistics support this statement. Atletico’s total of 83 substitutions in La Liga this season is not the highest in the league (it ranks sixth, trailing Athletic Club, Mallorca, Las Palmas, Barcelona, and Celta Vigo), but the impact they are receiving from their substitutes in terms of goals and assists is unparalleled in Europe.
Atletico’s bench has produced 18 goals — 10 in their first 17 La Liga matches, four in six Champions League fixtures, and four additional goals in two Copa del Rey matches.
The data reveals that they are six goals ahead of Bayern Munich, who rank second. Atletico’s substitutes have also provided 12 assists this season across all competitions. Their total of 30 goal contributions exceeds what any other club in Europe’s top five leagues has achieved.
Sorloth’s headed goal against Getafe became his fourth as a substitute in La Liga — the highest in Europe’s top leagues (though Girona’s Cristhian Stuani, Daniel Mosquera from Hellas Verona, and Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran also have four each). Every one of Sorloth’s substitute goals has contributed to victories — Atletico previously trailed against Alaves and had not scored versus Getafe when the Norwegian, signed from Villarreal, entered the game. He netted the second goal in a 2-0 win versus Las Palmas and the fifth in a 5-0 triumph against Valladolid.
These late-game comebacks have been characteristic of Atletico’s season. Correa has scored five times as a substitute, with two in La Liga and three in the Champions League. Three of his contributions occurred in stoppage time — including a 95th-minute equaliser against Real Madrid in La Liga and a 93rd-minute winner at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, both instances where Simeone’s team conceded first. The other two goals by Correa as a substitute also came late in the match — in the 85th and 89th minutes to finalize a 6-0 Champions League victory away at Sparta Prague.
The impact of so many substitute goals is allowing Atletico to shift momentum in their favor during late-game scenarios. Only Manchester City has garnered more points from losing positions this season (14 points compared to Atletico’s 12).
The most remarkable comeback occurred against Sevilla in early December. Sevilla led 3-2 with just over an hour played when Simeone enlisted his substitutes — with Sorloth, Koke, Lino, and Correa all stepping onto the pitch before Axel Witsel took over from Clement Lenglet. Lino leveled the score to 3-3 with 11 minutes remaining before Griezmann secured a brilliant winner in the 94th minute.
“Atletico’s subs entered with incredible energy and freshness,” said Sevilla coach Francisco Xavier Garcia Pimienta after the match. “It felt as though those coming on were superior to those going off, as they essentially possess two remarkable squads.”
With such depth in options, Simeone is quick to initiate changes, particularly when a match isn’t unfolding in Atletico’s favor.
The table that follows illustrates the average timing for substitutions in La Liga this season, excluding enforced injury substitutions. Atletico stands out by making theirs the earliest: Simeone has executed 17 halftime substitutions (one in each match). Conversely, Real Madrid has recorded only two halftime changes, while Osasuna has managed just one.
As a result, Atletico is finishing games remarkably strong. From the 60th minute onward in La Liga matches this season, they have netted 16 goals while allowing just two. In the last 15 minutes plus stoppage time, they have scored 13 times and conceded merely once. No other team has outscored their tally of 11 goals after the 80th minute among Europe’s top five leagues.
While an 11-match winning run is commendable, alongside scoring a minimum of three goals in five consecutive matches lately, it’s essential to consider the level of competition faced.
During their six successive La Liga wins, the most formidable opponent they encountered was Mallorca, currently sitting at ninth place in the Spanish league. Securing a win at PSG in the Champions League demanded effort, but straightforward victories against Sparta Prague and Slovan Bratislava were anticipated. They found themselves trailing 1-0 to fourth-division Cacereno with less than ten minutes remaining before late goals from Lenglet, Alvarez, and an own goal salvaged their situation after five of Simeone’s substitutions.
This abundance of critical contributions from substitutes raises the question of whether Simeone is a maestro at implementing changes or continually rectifying issues stemming from his initial selections.
A period of experimentation with personnel and systems is understandable given that Atletico invested over €200million ($210m; £165m at current exchange rates) during the summer on new additions, such as Argentina’s World Cup 2022 winner Alvarez, Spain’s Euro 2024-title-winning center-back Robin Le Normand, England international Conor Gallagher, and Sorloth. Long-time squad members like Alvaro Morata, Stefan Savic, Saul Niguez, and Joao Felix were all let go.
Simeone’s preferred starting lineup is becoming evident. Although he has often deployed three center-backs in recent seasons, he currently favors a 4-4-2 formation. Having several players skilled in multiple positions — including Griezmann, Alvarez, Correa, Simeone, Gallagher, Llorente, and Cesar Azpilicueta — facilitates mid-game tactical alterations.
Two 21-year-olds are playing significant roles in midfield. Giuliano Simeone’s infectious enthusiasm and dedication have propelled comebacks against Leganes and PSG. Meanwhile, homegrown talent Pablo Barrios has filled the void left by longtime captain Koke as the midfield anchor.
“The players understand that I make no guarantees to anyone,” Simeone stated last weekend. “You can see this in Koke — an essential figure in our club’s history. He realizes that if I require him for 20 minutes, he’ll come in and give everything for those 20 minutes. That really moves me.”
Atletico won late on against PSG, but many of their recent games have been against weaker opposition (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Simeone’s players are also getting more opportunities to recharge amidst a hectic calendar. Within the top 60 players for playing time in La Liga this season, Barcelona features seven players, Real Madrid has three, while Atletico has only one — goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Among the top 200 in the Champions League, Barcelona has eight players, Madrid five, while Atletico has three — centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez, Alvarez, and midfielder Rodrigo De Paul.
This dynamic may position Atletico to be fresher than their domestic rivals in the latter half of the season. Barcelona appears to be showing signs of mental and physical fatigue lately, while Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid side has suffered recurrent injuries to key players.
Historically, Atletico’s bursts of form during recent autumns have occasionally evaporated rapidly.
Last season, they arrived at Barcelona in December on a surge of eight wins in nine La Liga games. They were just one point behind leaders Real Madrid and three ahead of Barcelona.
Simeone’s squad, however, fell to a dull 1-0 defeat, compounded by the fact that Felix — then on loan at Barcelona — became the matchwinner. Within weeks, any aspirations of capturing La Liga diminished, while Ancelotti’s team moved towards the title.
Saturday’s match occurs just before the league’s winter hiatus. If Simeone’s revamped squad can secure his first win at Barcelona — potentially with a thrilling comeback capped by a late goal from a substitute — Atletico will possess the crucial momentum heading into the second half of the season.
(Top photo: Sorloth celebrates a goal off the bench against Valladolid; Cesar Ortiz Gonzalez/Soccrates/Getty Images)
