After a relatively successful season, which resulted in a 2nd place finish in LaLiga, Atletico Madrid are facing some big changes in the club, which could result in a complete makeover ahead of 2019/20 season.

When we talk about a makeover for the Los Colchoneros in 2019/2020, we are not talking about their new kits, but rather the changes to their locker room. Talking about changes to the team, we must start off with the departure of their star player Griezmann, who after 5 years decided it’s time for him to leave. While we have heard the “news” of Griezmann leaving Atletico Madrid before, this time it’s official. We still do not know exactly where the Frenchman will end up, however, we know for sure it won’t be Atletico Madrid. This alone will leave a huge hole in the attacking line of the Spanish team that they will need to fill, however, Griezmann is only one of the 5 players that will end up leaving Wanda Metropolitano in search of a new employer. Other high-profile departures include Lucas Hernandez, Diego Godin, Juanfran and Luciano Vietto.
Lucas Hernandez, who has put up 110 appearances for Atletico Madrid in 4 years will join Bayern Munich for a fee of £72.00m. Diego Godin, who has joined Atletico Madrid in 2010 and played a total of 389 games will also set sails and leave Atletico Madrid. While it’s still unclear which club he will join, there were speculations he could move to Serie A. Juanfran, another player who has spent a huge part of his career at Atletico Madrid will be released from the club after 8 long years during which, he made 355 appearances. And lastly, Luciano Vietto, who spent the 2018/19 season on a loan will move to his new club in Portugal, where he will play for Sporting CP.
Combining all the appearances of players that will leave this summer, the number reaches over 1100, which only proves the fact that they all played a crucial role in Atletico and the achievements of the club in past years. This also means Atletico will end up losing a huge part of the team that made Atletico Madrid… well Atletico Madrid. Losing such important players will surely make Atletico Madrid lose some of their characteristics, but in the end, that just might not be that bad. With the departure of players also comes money, which will allow Atletico Madrid or should we say Diego Simeone rebuild the team in a way he would like. The Atletico Madrid midfielder, Koke seems to agree with that, as he has stated there is no reason to panic. By his own words, he has seen such things happen before and the result was not all that bad. On the club official website, Koke said:
“We always reinvent ourselves. I hope we can do so, and I hope that the players who arrive can adapt as fast as possible.”
“I’m very excited about next season. Important players are leaving and we have to thank them because they’ve been a part of an incredible Atlético de Madrid side.”
There is also one more thing to consider. While losing a player like Griezmann would be a huge blow to many teams, the same cannot be said for Atletico Madrid. If we just go down the memory lane and remember all the players Atletico Madrid “lost”, we can only wonder how they managed to always get up. Names such as Falcao, Diego Costa, Fernando Torres, Diego Forlan and Sergio Aguero are just a few that end up on the list of players that left Atletico Madrid. With that in mind, there should be no fear for Atletico Madrid fans, but rather the excitement for what the new season will bring.
While we can be certain Atletico Madrid will miss Antoine Griezmann, the club will live on even without the Frenchman.
Sports journalist, content writer and passionate football lover.