Ranking the 5 top teams that are currently out of form
With the club season approaching its halfway mark, title races are beginning to take shape. For some, their early and rigorous preparations in the summer are bearing fruit. For others, though, managerial merry-go-rounds, COVID-19 outbreaks and changes at the board level have stunted their progress. For some other teams, there has been a combination of both issues.
Momentum going into the Christmas period is usually crucial in any of Europe's top leagues. Factors like players' recovery rates and squad depth also come into play in these busy weeks.
One positive of the fixture congestion during this festive period is that a team can register multiple wins in a week's time, and that can reinvigorate the club. Usually one can see a few clubs begin their resurgence following the Christmas period.
However, the negatives are much worse. Teams that are expected to do well might fall off, with players losing confidence. Results can be difficult to achieve in such a scenario, and managers often pay for that by losing their jobs.
On that note, here's a look at the five top clubs who have struggled for form so far this season.
#5 Atletico Madrid
Ever since Diego Simeone took over as Atletico Madrid manager in December 2011, the club has been on an upward trajectory. Atleti have enjoyed great success under the Argentine, winning La Liga twice, the UEFA Europa League twice and finishing as runners-up in two UEFA Champions League finals.
This season, though, they look a depleted side devoid of the character and passion that helped them stand out in the 2010s. Atletico find themselves in a respectable fourth place in La Liga so far this season. What's alarming, though, is their gap to the top. The holders are trailing by a whopping 13 points behind league leaders Real Madrid, with about half the season left to go.
The gap was ten points before the two sides met earlier this week. Real Madrid came out on top with relative ease, winning 2-0 on the night. The aftermath of the game provided an interesting stat: Atleti are now winless in ten games against Real Madrid.
📊| Atletico Madrid are winless in the last 10 La Liga games against Real Madrid. @marca https://t.co/3VkwlqtRFr
Furthermore, the club struggled in the Champions League. They could only manage to scrape a second-place finish in a group comprising AC Milan, FC Porto and Liverpool. It was thanks to Milan and Porto's struggles that allowed Atletico to secure second place in the group behind Liverpool.
Luis Suarez is Atletico's top scorer in La Liga with seven goals this season, while Antoine Griezmann leads the charts in Europe with four goals. In their last 15 games across competitions, Atleti have won six, lost six and drawn three.
With half the season gone, it will be interesting to see how Diego Simeone's men navigate through the rest of their campaign.
#4 AS Roma
When Jose Mourinho was announced as outgoing manager Paulo Fonseca's replacement in May this year, few would have predicted AS Roma's topsy-turvy form. Having signed players like Tammy Abraham, Rui Patricio and Marash Kumbulla in the summer, Roma looked set to challenge for a top-four spot in Serie A.
However, as we approach the halfway mark of the season, things haven't gone as anticipated for the Romans. They currently sit sixth in Serie A with 28 points from 17 games, having won nine, drawn one and lost a woeful seven games. In their last 15 games across competitions, Roma have won seven, drawn two and lost six.
One of them was a humiliating 6-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage.
MS | Bodo/Glimt 6-1 Roma
⚽️ 8' Botheim
⚽️ 20' Berg
⚽️ 28' Carlos Perez
⚽️ 52' Botheim
⚽️ 71' Solbakken
⚽️ 78' Pellegrino
⚽️ 80' Botheim
https://t.co/5D1cgI1CCm
With a poor run of form, Roma now enter a tough phase to end the calendar year. They face Atalanta next, followed by Sampdoria, AC Milan and Juventus - all in the Serie A. It will be interesting to see how Mourinho's sides fare in these few games.