Three players have remained untouched through all this tinkering
Three matches into a new LaLiga campaign, Atlético Madrid finds itself in a familiar posture of restless experimentation — Diego Simeone shuffling combinations, searching for coherence. Amid the flux, only three players have stood immovable: a goalkeeper whose permanence is structural, a defender whose presence is circumstantial, and a midfielder whose versatility makes him indispensable. The early minutes of a season are rarely definitive, but they are always revealing — and what they reveal here is a squad not yet settled into itself.
- A sluggish opening run against Espanyol, Elche, and Alavés has left Simeone reaching for the substitution board as early as the first weeks, signaling unease with what he sees.
- Injuries and unproven signings have narrowed Simeone's defensive options, forcing Le Normand into every minute not by brilliance but by default.
- Llorente's positional fluidity keeps him on the pitch as a tactical Swiss Army knife, the one constant Simeone trusts to adapt when plans unravel.
- Julián Álvarez, just ten minutes short of a full complement, was substituted moments before Espanyol equalized — a haunting detail that raises questions about attacking management.
- Four players, including Giménez and summer signing Pubill, have yet to register a single official minute, exposing the fragile depth beneath the squad's surface.
Three matches into the season, Atlético Madrid has played 270 minutes of LaLiga football, and Diego Simeone is already deep in his search for answers. A difficult opening run has pushed the Argentine coach to rotate and experiment, yet through all the changes, three players have remained on the pitch for every second: Jan Oblak, Robin Le Normand, and Marcos Llorente.
Oblak's unbroken presence needs little unpacking — goalkeepers simply do not come off the field, and the Slovenian remains the unquestioned foundation of Atlético's defensive structure. The stories of the other two are more telling. Le Normand has played every minute not because he has dazzled, but because alternatives are scarce: Giménez is injured, and young summer signing Pubill has yet to earn Simeone's trust. Circumstance, more than form, has made him indispensable.
Llorente's case is different — his value lies in versatility. The midfielder's capacity to shift across the formation and adapt to tactical demands makes him Simeone's most reliable utility piece, a constant in a team still searching for its rhythm.
Just behind this trio, Julián Álvarez has logged 260 minutes, having been substituted late in two matches — most notably against Espanyol, where the team conceded an equalizer moments after he left the field. Giuliano Simeone and summer arrival Dávid Hancko trail closely behind, while four players — Giménez, Pubill, Musso, and Carlos Martín — have yet to appear at all. Raspadori, despite featuring in every game, has managed only 46 minutes. The distribution of playing time sketches the portrait of a squad still in flux, and a coach who has not yet found his answer.
Three matches into the season, Atlético Madrid has played 270 minutes of football, and Diego Simeone has already begun reshuffling his deck. The team's sluggish start against Espanyol, Elche, and Alavés has forced the Argentine coach to reach for the substitution board repeatedly, testing combinations and searching for answers. Yet through all this tinkering, three players have remained untouched: Jan Oblak in goal, Robin Le Normand at center-back, and Marcos Llorente in midfield.
Oblak's presence across all 270 minutes requires little explanation. The Slovenian goalkeeper is the undisputed master of Atlético's penalty area, and barring injury or catastrophe, keepers simply do not come off the field mid-match. His immobility in the lineup is less a statement about form than a reflection of his role—he is the foundation, not subject to the same tactical calculus as outfield players.
The other two tell a different story. Le Normand has completed every minute despite what observers describe as an unspectacular start to the campaign. His permanence owes less to scintillating performances than to circumstance and limited alternatives. José Giménez, who would normally compete for the right-center-back position, is sidelined by injury. Sergiño Pubill, the young defender signed from Almería over the summer, has yet to earn Simeone's confidence. With those options unavailable or untested, Le Normand has become the default choice, paired with the Uruguayan Carlos Martín and goalkeeper Musso—a quartet that has accumulated zero minutes between them in this opening month. The central defender's versatility and physical capacity have made him indispensable, even if his performances have not yet sparkled.
Marcos Llorente's unbroken run reflects a different kind of necessity. The midfielder's ability to play multiple positions makes him what Simeone views as the perfect utility player, capable of shifting across the formation as tactical needs demand. His athleticism and positional intelligence have kept him on the pitch through all three matches, a reliable constant in a team still searching for rhythm.
Just behind this trio sits Julián Álvarez, the Argentine forward who has managed 260 minutes—ten shy of the full complement. Against Espanyol, he departed with eight minutes remaining, the score locked at one-all; moments after he left the field, the visiting team equalized. Against Alavés, he exited in the 88th minute, replaced by Giacomo Raspadori. The pattern suggests Simeone is testing different attacking approaches, unwilling to commit fully to any single forward as the season unfolds.
Giuliano Simeone, the coach's son, has accumulated 253 minutes, while Dávid Hancko, one of the summer's notable arrivals, trails marginally behind with 252. At the opposite end of the spectrum sit four players who have yet to appear in an official match: Giménez, Carlos Martín, Musso, and Pubill. Raspadori, despite featuring in every game, has managed only 46 minutes—a bit-part player despite his involvement. The distribution of minutes reveals a squad still in flux, a coach still searching, and a team that has not yet found the formula that will carry it through the season ahead.
Citações Notáveis
Llorente's versatility and physical capacity make him the perfect utility player for Simeone's tactical adjustments— Match analysis
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why hasn't Simeone given Pubill any minutes yet? He's a young signing—wouldn't rotation help him settle in?
Pubill arrived from Almería, and Simeone clearly hasn't seen what he needs to see yet. With Giménez injured, Le Normand is the only option at right-center-back that Simeone trusts. It's a gamble—keep the young player on the bench or risk instability at the back.
So Le Normand is playing well, then?
Not necessarily. He's been described as unspectacular. But he's there because he has to be. That's the difference between a player who's indispensable and a player who's performing brilliantly.
What does Llorente's presence tell us about Simeone's thinking?
That versatility is currency in his system. Llorente can move across the midfield, shift to the wing, adapt to what the match demands. He's the glue that holds the tactical flexibility together.
And Álvarez—why is he being substituted if he's a striker?
Because Simeone is experimenting. The team isn't clicking yet. Álvarez comes off late in matches, and Raspadori comes on. It's a search, not a settled plan.
What does this rotation pattern suggest about the season ahead?
That Atlético is still finding itself. Three matches in, and the coach is still testing, still adjusting. The players who are staying on the pitch aren't necessarily the best—they're the ones Simeone feels he can't afford to remove.