With just three goals in 12 competitive appearances since arriving from FC Porto, Diego Simeone’s decision to replaced former Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandžukić for Jackson Martínez is being questioned.
After the success of the 2013-14 season, where Diego Simeone’s men threw everyone’s expectations out of the window in a year where Los Rojiblancos won the league title away from the duopoly of Barcelona and Real Madrid, and came within three minutes from winning the Champions League before eventually losing to their city rivals, it was no surprise to see the stronger financial teams interested in luring away Simeone’s star players.
Thibaut Courtois eventually returned to his parent club Chelsea with a new reputation of the best young goalkeeper in Europe, leaving Simeone no chance of sealing a permanent deal. Other Atléti stars followed the Belgian to London, with striker Diego Costa scoring an incredible 27 goals to help propel the Blues to glory, while defender Filipe Luís has since made his way back to the Vicente Calderon. David Villa, who was equally as vital and important to Simeone’s side since moving from rivals Barcelona, decided to embark on a new challenge towards the twilight of his career, which sees the World Cup champion plying his trade with New York City FC.
While Simeone moved to replace his departing players, everyone knew success similar to the season prior was almost impossible to reach again. Bayern Munich’s Mandžukić was seen as Simeone’s power striker to replace the departed Costa and was purchased for a sum of €22 million, a figure, given the pedigree and credentials the Croatian earned during his spell in the Bundesliga, that was seen as a massive coup for Atléti.
Mandžukić immediately showed just why he was so pivotal and deadly, netting the winner in the 2014 Supercopa de España second-leg against a Real Madrid side that conquered Europe, gifting Atléti their first Supercopa since 1985 and more importantly, their only piece of silverware last season. The Croatian would not stop there, scoring his first league goal against SD Eibar 11 days later, embarking on an early run of form while fellow summer signing Antoine Griezmann struggled to adapt.
An ankle injury blighted the Croatian’s form shortly before the second-half of the campaign, however, it did not stop him going on to score 12 goals in 28 La Liga fixtures. His overall stats were more impressive when considering his total goals in number of appearances, contributing to 20 goals in all competitions during 43 showings.
For his first season in Spain, it is unfair to say that Mandžukić was anything but a success, with his goals coming in crucial games as well as crucial stages for his team. This includes the hat-trick against Olympiakos which sealed Atléti’s progression to the next stage of the Champions League and his solitary goal against Getafe, which at the time moved the team two points behind the then joint-leaders Barcelona and Sevilla.
At the age of 28, Mandžukić was seen as a vastly experienced, proven goal scorer and that is exactly what he gave in his single season with Atléti. His characteristics of physicality, versatility, mobility and fitness made him seemingly the perfect fit for Simeone’s setup. Sky Sports analyst Adam Bate also suggested of this match made in heaven, stating, “Mandžukić battles defenses, driving them back to create space for team-mates as well as preventing opponents building patiently without pressure on the ball”.
Bate also mentioned how Mandžukić “is both a physical and mobile striker who does so much of his best work without the ball, seemingly doing the work of two players and thus allowing an extra man in midfield”. After the conclusion of the 2014-15 season, it is clear that for his part Mandžukić offered exactly what critics had highlighted. Griezmann won admirers with his 25 goals in all competitions for Atléti, however, it should be noted that the Croatian, along with his 20 goals, also contributed to five assists compared to Griezmann’s low tally of two, yet this did not stop his departure.
“Mandžukić? Who goes and who stays is not up to me. The club will decide what is best. We are happy with Mandžukić, he had a very competitive campaign”, Simeone told.
However, this was clearly not the case, as Simeone wanted a striker that would seemingly suit a faster and more counter-attacking strategy for the following season. Mandžukić would be shipped to Italian giants Juventus and replacement, Jackson Martínez, was seen as the faster more effective of the two. Similarly built and possessing experience, the Colombian also arrived with European pedigree, having been the Portuguese Primeira Liga’s top scorer in each of his three seasons with FC Porto. More impressively was his stat of 92 goals in 132 appearances for the Portuguese heavyweights.
Yet Martinez has so far not come anywhere close to the success that Simeone would have hoped. At the same age as Mandžukić, 29, he represents the here-and-now, rather than a future prodigy. In 12 appearances for Atléti, Martínez has only scored three goals, his second coming in the Champions League against a weak FC Astana side after a scoreless run in eight competitive appearances. At this exact time last year, Mandžukić had scored eight goals already against formable sides like Real Madrid, Valencia and Olympiakos. Furthermore, Mandžukić’s tally by the 26th of November last year was 11, after his impressive hat-trick against the Greeks which sealed qualification for the next stage in the Champions League. Truly a stark difference to Atléti’s Champions League campaign this season.
After having scored in two consecutive matches since the second La Liga fixture against Sevilla, Simeone would have hoped the brief goal scoring run would rejuvenate the expensive signing’s lethal form that made the Colombian so feared in Portugal. As Martínez will know, failure to score on a regular basis and the inabilty to suit the team style will not be accepted, something Mandžukić had learned the hard way.
“Jackson is a vital player for us, he is a striker and so it’s always good for him to score”, Simeone stated after the game against Astana.
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Simeone is correct in saying Martínez as a vital player for Atléti, knowing that relying on Griezmann to always score will not produce success as the Frenchman struggles to find the net against tougher opponents. The Colombian has the experience and skills to succeed which he showcased with his time with Porto, however, his overall performances have looked like a rare failed-purchase. An ankle injury suffered during international break could not come at a worse time for the former FC Porto star.
The manager and team have come out supportive of their striker, however they will not be patient for long. Martínez, after returning from injury, will need to quickly find the confidence and deadly form that will justify the decision to cut Mandžukić. Simeone has younger alternatives in Luciano Vietto and Ángel Correa, who are both waiting for their chance in the starting XI and have both impressed so far this season.
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