Atlético Madrid Comes From Behind on Final Day to Win First La Liga Title Since 2014
La Liga #LaLiga
Atlético Madrid won its first La Liga title since 2014 following a 2-1 comeback win over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
It took nearly every minute of all 38 weeks, through all the deadlock and drama, but La Liga has finally crowned a champion with Atlético Madrid securing its first league title since 2014.
Keeping with the theme of the season, Los Colchoneros needed to survive yet another scare after conceding the opening goal to now-relegated Real Valladolid, which seemed to open the door to a second-place Real Madrid side needing a win and an Atlético slip-up.
But Zinedine Zidane’s side also conceded early, and the La Liga apathy seemed to continue with each team entering halftime down a goal. However, Atlético’s Ángel Correa equalized in the 57th minute and Luis Suárez gave Atlético the lead in the 67th, just a week after his 88th-minute goal against Osasuna sealed another 2-1 Atlético comeback and kept the side atop La Liga.
With a furious Real Madrid comeback thanks to goals from newly recalled French striker Karim Benzema and Luka Modriç against Villarreal, Suárez’s goal would prove to be the one that clinched the title for Atlético.
Discarded by Barcelona and embarrassed by a failed transfer to Juventus after accusations of cheating on his Italian proficiency exam, Suárez’s arrival at Atlético on a free transfer ended up as a title-defining move. After scoring 21 league goals this season, the 34-year-old fought through tears in his post-game interview as Atlético fans set off flares and fireworks outside Real Valladolid’s empty stadium.
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