Atlético de Madrid is a strange club. Having won three Europe League trophies and reached two Champions League finals in the last fifteen years, it sits firmly in European elite. It is also, undisputedly, Spain's third best team: no other team can afford to "bite" Real Madrid and FC Barcelona's dominance in LaLiga, having won two titles in recent years (2014 and 2021).
But Atleti is often dismissed by many fans due to its inconsistency in results that (usually) ends up in elimination from UEFA competitions and bronze in Liga. But when they're good, they're really good... and right now, they're going through one of their best periods ever.
After yesterday's victory against Slovan Bratislava 3-1, with double by the superstar Anoine Griezmmann, they have chained now 10 straight victories in all competitions. That includes hammerings like 5-0 to Valladolid in Liga or 0-6 to Sparta Praha, as well as complicated rivals like Sevilla and PSG. Their last defeat was against Lille on October 23.
That 10-victories spell is unmatched by any other team from the five big European leagues. Not even Liverpool, despite ruling in Champions League and Premier, can match it -they had a 3-3 draw against Newcastle-, and certainly not Barcelona or Real Madrid, despite being ahead in LaLiga.
10 wins in a row is also close to Atlético de Madrid's best track record ever. The record was 13 straight victories. That was in 2012, with Diego "Cholo" Simeone at the helm, who, after 700 games, he understandably doesn't want to leave.