Atletico Madrid appear like a runner who tried to sprint a 1500-meter run like a 100-meter dash. It was heroic while it lasted. Now exhausted and lacking bench strength, Atletico seem to suffer from fatigue and tiredness more than from anything else.

Juan Antonio Pizzi seems to have injected a new lease of life into Valencia. A 2-0 win against Levante to start with, followed by a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid in Copa Del Rey, means Pizzi is yet to taste defeat.

It’s been a while since three teams fought for the title in the Primera. This season, Atletico Madrid joined the two giants Real Madrid and Barça in the title race.

Last week, Real Madrid beat Almeria 5-0. It was an end to a spirited three-match winning streak of the newly promoted La Liga outfit.