Seven European matches without conceding at home

Jan Oblak was Atlético’s best player in the Champions League match against Real Madrid. The goalkeeper’s efforts saved his team during a first half in which the visitors were the better team. But Oblak did not feel like Atlético’s saviour, nor their star. “The goalkeeper is there to save,” he told everyone who congratulated him after his wonderful display at the Calderón. One of those who gave him a pat on the back was Miguel Ángel Moyà, with whom Oblak maintains a healthy sense of competition. There is a good relationship between the two of them. Moyà was Diego Simeone’s first-choice goalkeeper until his injury, and now that post is occupied by the Slovenian.

Atlético finished the match against Real Madrid with a clean sheet and thus racked up their seventh consecutive game without conceding at home in the Champions League (Barcelona, Chelsea, Juventus, Malmo, Olympiacos, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid all failed to score at the Calderón). Atlético equalled a record that was achieved by Juventus, Arsenal and Deportivo La Coruña, who all managed seven games without conceding at home. Atlético are just one match away from setting a new record.

The great bastion of Atlético is still their defensive strength. Despite being dominated by Real Madrid, Diego Simeone’s team held out without conceding, following a standard pattern that has been seen throughout the season.

Simeone’s side have kept clean sheets in 25 of their 48 matches this season. Last year they avoided conceding a goal in 30 matches, and the season before that they managed 29 games. With Thibaut Courtois previously, or Moyà this year, or Oblak in the last month, Atlético do not concede goals.

Firstly, Atleti do not hand many chances to their opponents, and secondly, the goalkeepers deal well with the arrival of opposing attackers into their box.

Basically, Atlético are convinced that they were right when they moved for the two goalkeepers that have occupied the position between the sticks this season. It was not easy to forget about Courtois and until now, Moyà and Oblak have managed to do it. The investment in the goalkeeper position was important (Oblak cost €16m and Moyà cost €3m), so the sports management team invested heavily in them. At first Oblak received criticism for his weak performances, but everyone trusts in the Slovenian now.

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