Atletico Madrid have managed to remain competitive in La Liga and in Europe over the past few years despite a lot of changes to their team, with other clubs keen to sign their best players and youthful prospects for big money.

Throughout the tenure of manager Diego Simeone, there has remained in place a core of experienced heads who have made much of the spine of the team: Diego Godin, Tiago, Juanfran and captain Gabi, along with younger midfielder Koke, who have all contributed to the ongoing success Atleti have enjoyed.

While much of the rest of the team has been renovated and Atletico’s transfer activity now looks geared toward younger signings, Gabi has shown in the past few months he still has lots to give the first XI and can remain a core part of Simeone’s plans despite the new signings and the fact he turns 33 in summer.

 

Senior stars

Tiago and Gabi have made up the centrepiece of Atletico’s midfield for a number of seasons, but they’re not the only experienced players Simeone has relied upon. Filipe Luis and Juanfran at full-back are both in their 30s, as is Godin in defence and the rejuvenated Fernando Torres up front.

That’s just this season, though: Miranda was 29 when he left for Inter Milan, while last season’s attacking options included late-20s stars Raul Garcia, Mario Mandzukic and Arda Turan. Going further back, the likes of David Villa, Cristian Rodriguez, Emre, Diego Forlan and Simao, among others, all show Simeone’s preference to include senior components in his team alongside a few more talented, high-energy young players.

Only injury has finally broken up the Gabi-Tiago pivot this term, with the Portuguese playmaker suffering a broken leg in winter.

The emergence and importance of Saul thereafter and Koke’s excellent form when central in the last two months means Tiago could well find it extremely difficult to remain involved in the side after this summer.

 

Gabi: 2014 to 2016

If Tiago’s potential departure—given he is out of contract this summer—is to be accepted, there’s very little likelihood that Simeone won’t keep Gabi in place for at least one more season as a regular starter and captain.

The high-intensity requirements of Atletico’s game in midfield demand that he can keep up physically as well as tactically, and Gabi is rarely found wanting in that regard. This season, he started well, suffered a big drop-off in form and then has been back to his majestic destructive best since the turn of the year.

True, he occasionally seems to have spells in games where he gives the ball away, misses a challenge or has some other momentary lapse, but in fairness, Gabi isn’t an elite midfielder, merely an extremely good one.

He brings value to the team, which they would struggle to find elsewhere: aggression mixed with composure, incisive passes from deep alongside the capacity to surge into the right channel and combine play high upfield, and, of course, his indefatigable ability to win back possession.

If 2014 was his peak, and last season a worrying drop-off in his overall level, this season has shown Gabi still has much to give the club somewhere above a middle-ground of the two previous campaigns.

 

Renewal

Atletico’s midfield is in a rather fluid phase right now, both with personnel and set-up. It merges easily and impressively from a four-man line to a three-in-the-centre arrangement, with the versatility and intelligence of Saul and Koke a huge bonus for Simeone to be able to include.

The signings of Augusto Fernandez and Matias Kranevitter add depth and deliberation in the centre, but both rotate alongside Gabi, not instead of him.

The young homegrown duo can play offensively or defensively, wide or narrow, high upfield or alongside Gabi himself. They, Koke and Saul will be the fulcrum of Atleti’s changing mindset in games next season, but it’s near-certain that Gabi himself will hold it all together, marauding around the pitch, breaking up play and setting his team on their way once more—very likely toward further challenges for silverware.

 

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