Could Atletico win La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona?

Madrid have an ageing squad and after winning three consecutive Champions League titles, it’s only natural for their motivation to dip slightly.

Squad refresh

The likes of Juanfran and Filipe Luis are heading towards the end of their careers now, while Gabi has left for Qatar.

That trio have been vital during Simeone’s time at the club, but Atletico have planned for the future very well.

In Sime Vrsaljko and Lucas Hernandez, they have ready-made replacements for Juanfran and Luis respectively. Both of them played in this summer’s World Cup Final, highlighting their quality.

Gabi’s influence will be missed, but the club are well-stocked with central midfielders. Rodri has arrived to compete with Koke, Saul and Thomas Partey for a starting spot.

The squad did look short of width after Yannick Ferreira Carrasco left in January, which the club have addressed by signing Thomas Lemar and Gelson Martins.

Simeone now has more than a strong starting XI, he has competition for places in every area.

They’ve found the perfect striker (again)

Atletico have always been rock-solid at the back under Simeone. They’ve had the best defensive record in Spain in four of the last five seasons.

Now they’ve got the firepower to beat any side too.

Simeone had been searching for a replacement for Diego Costa ever since the Spain international left for Chelsea in 2014. He got the ideal striker in January – Costa himself.

The Spain international was tailor-made for Simeone’s aggressive, intense style of play. He’s a master at the dark arts of the game, but he’s also a superb goalscorer. His presence creates space for Antoine Griezmann to wreak havoc.

There were encouraging signs of a partnership forming between Costa and Griezmann during the second-half of last season. Having them for the entire campaign could take them all the way to major honours.

Big match previews, betting tips and transfer news – we’ve got it all.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing