In the build-up to Atletico Madrid’s LaLiga trip to Real Mallorca on Wednesday night, goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a candid admission about the mood in the Colchoneros camp.
“We are not in good shape psychologically,” the long-serving Slovenian admitted, per Goal.
And an eventual 1-0 defeat at the Visit Mallorca Stadium – their fifth without a win in all competitions – will only lead to yet more introspection from a group of players who, for the first time during Diego Simeone’s decade-long stay in the Spanish capital, appear to have forgotten what it means to pull on those red and white stripes.
The organisation, the spirit and the never-say-die attitude that epitomised Simeone’s finest Atletico teams is missing in action. And if any player sums up their ongoing and seemingly-worsening malaise, it’s Jan Oblak. A man who, until very recently, was always part of the conversation when the subject of the world’s greatest goalkeepers was brought up.
Tottenham Hotspur target Jan Oblak struggling at Atletico Madrid
You could probably count on one hand the number of mistakes Oblak made during his first few years in Madrid. And while the 29-year-old remains an outstanding shot-stopper on his day – Oblak came to Atletico’s rescue with some truly remarkable saves against Girona recently – his sudden and dramatic decline is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
By late-September, Oblak had the second-worst save success rate of any LaLiga goalkeeper since the start of 2021/22 (WhoScored). And, as Atletico went down 1-0 in Mallorca, Oblak’s involvement will once again come under the microscope; spilling a long-range daisycutter back into the danger area moments before Vedat Muriqi scored the game’s only goal.
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According to The Athletic, there is interest from Tottenham Hotspur in the former Benfica ace. Claims backed up by the London Standard.
Oblak, however, signed a new deal running until 2028 as recently as January. As such, reports suggesting that Atletico are ready to consider a ‘cut price sale’ should be viewed with suspicion. Atletico, in their current predicament, are not in the business of charity. If they are willing to sell Oblak on the cheap, with six years remaining on his deal, then there’s probably a very good reason.
The form of a goalkeeper, like any player, can be prone to pits and troughs. Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy have completely swapped roles at Chelsea, for instance. The likes of David de Gea and Manuel Neuer also came back strongly after difficult spells.
But Oblak looks like a man who’s powers are very much on the wane. And Tottenham’s pursuit of a long-term Hugo Lloris replacement cannot be driven by reputation alone.
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