What are we learning about Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid

The La Liga season may only be three games old but it’s already shown us that it’s likely to be the usual suspects grabbing the attention and the headlines but not necessarily in the same way as they have done in the past.

Leo Messi, the supersub

We are all more than accustomed to seeing Leo Messi dominate proceedings from the start but last weekend’s match against Atletico Madrid saw him take the plaudits after coming on from the bench.

Messi was named as a substitute following the birth of his second son, Mateo. What it gave us was the chance to see two matches in one, namely one hour ‘sans-Messi’, half an hour ‘avec’.

What it also showed us is how his appearance can make every other player on his side look better and even get more involved than some rivals – in 30 minutes he touched the ball more times (30) that Atletico’s, Oliver, did in 60 minutes (23). More importantly he made the opposition look worse, not least because they were forced to deploy three men to control him. Or if not forced, that is what Messi does -creates havoc.

Messi is clearly not used to coming on as a sub, something that could clearly be seen by the leisurely, laid back, almost to the point of horizontal, way he strolled onto the pitch after shaking hands with the departing Rakitic.

This time, unlike when left on the bench last season for the first match following the Christmas break, he knew about it before hand. Having missed training earlier in the week and with various players out with muscle injuries and important Champions League matches on the horizon, Luis Enrique, not unreasonably opted for the cautious path.

Perhaps most important of all, it showed us that Luis Enrique has finally, and wisely, abandoned the notion that as the man in charge he can make any decision he pleases without explaining his reasoning behind it to those involved. This is clearly a club, and particularly a player, where you can’t, and the fact that the ‘peseta has dropped’ means the relationship between the two has much improved.

Is it time for Simeone to prove he is not just a one trick pony?

While Barcelona were certainly efficient this was a very disappointing Atletico Madrid.

A squad that can boast the likes of Koke, Oliver, Griezmann, Juanfran, Filipe Luis, can and should play better, but more importantly should be more adaptable and flexible

The reason they weren’t falls fairly and squarely onto the shoulders of their coach, Diego Simeone.

In Anton Griezmann, Atletico have a player who is capable of reaching levels only below Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. If his team was more offensive, kept the ball better against bigger teams and did not consistently revert to the old idea of defending deep and counter attacking, then he could go a long way to potentially being the best player in the league by the end of the season.

But Simeone has a very clear idea of how he wants to play which means 4-4-2, defending deep, being aggressive and not letting your rival play their natural game.

Against Barcelona a more complete, offensive Atletico was needed and it remains to be seen whether Simeone is able to get that transition from his new squad when it is requitred.

If he isn’t then this season Simeone could well find himself judged not by what he has achieved in the past but also by how he manipulates, utilises, tweaks and fine tunes the abundance of riches that he has at his disposal.

Simeone has a long-term contract with the club but this season could define him as a modern, international coach. He has a lot of qualities, but has he got that much needed flexibility to think on his feet and provide different answers to new questions posed of his side by teams like Barcelona. On this occasion he fell short.

Bale-Ronaldo partnership key for Real Madrid

With five goals out of six, picking Real Madrid’s man of the match following their match against Espanyol was not exactly the most onerous of tasks.

It is however worth noting that three of Ronaldo’s five goals came from the number nine spot, as did five from the seven shots he had from that area.

Four of his goals also had Gareth Bale’s fingerprints all over them and it is already patently obvious that Real Madrid’s season will be predominantly defined by how the players interact with each other both on and off the pitch.

Bale has a brief to start in a central position, but with the freedom to play everywhere, which means he has a tendency to drift to the left. This means Ronaldo has to vacate that position and establish himself where Rafa Benitez feels he is most deadly, namely as a number nine.

If they can maintain this fluidity and understanding the result could prove amazing. So far, so good, but let’s see what happens when someone less obliging than Espanyol turns up.

Keylor Navas feels the love as he hits the big time

Not since 1975 have Real Madrid kept a clean sheet in their first three league games.

For Keylor Navas this is a happy ending to what has been an unhappy period in his life that his seen him felt undervalued and undermined following the recent transfer debacle involving himself and David de Gea.

As both the Spanish and English press have claimed, I am convinced that Jorge Mendes, as he normally does, inserted either a clause or parallel contract containing a price should Real Madrid come back for David de Gea.

And they will be back, because they see in him the future of Real Madrid goalkeeping for the next ten years.

Despite the assurances and moral support offered by Rafa Benitez, the Costa Rican was deeply and justifiably hurt to the point of tears, by the club’s rejection of him.

Now buoyed by the support of the players, press and public he canlook forward to at least a year as Real Madrid’s number one and a seat on world goalkeeping’s top table, not to mention a new contract that will guarantee something like the sort of money he was going to earn at Manchester United.