Robin Le Normand: Analyzing Atlético Madrid’s New Defender
Since claiming the 2020/21 La Liga title and ending a seven-year title drought, Atlético Madrid have finished third in back-to-back years, whilst the most recent campaign saw them finish fourth behind Real Madrid, Barcelona and Girona. This summer, they’ve undergone a major rebuilding process with veteran players like Álvaro Morata (31), Saúl Ñíguez (29), Memphis Depay (30), and Vitolo (34) departing.
They’ve bolstered their attack with the arrival of Alexander Sørloth, who racked up the second-most goals in La Liga last season, whilst Julián Álvarez and Conor Gallagher look set to replenish their team in the coming days. As far as the backline goes, Atleti have sold Çağlar Söyüncü (28) to Fenerbahçe and allowed the likes of Mario Hermoso (29), Gabriel Paulista (33), and Stefan Savić (33) to depart for free.
With so many defenders leaving the Wanda Metropolitano, the onus has fallen on Robin Le Normand to provide solidity to a leaky backline and help shore up the defense under Diego Simeone. After excelling in Spain’s European Championship win, Le Normand has taken his talents to the Spanish capital and signed a five-year contract with the Rojiblancos.
Name: Robin Le Normand
Position: Center Back
Age: 27
Country: Spain
Height: 187cm
Preferred Foot: Right
Last Club: Real Sociedad
Born in Pabu, France, Le Normand began his development at Brest and rose up from the academy ranks to the first team before departing Brittany and heading to Real Sociedad in 2016. Having begun his time at Anoeta with the reserve team, Le Normand didn’t take long to make a name for himself with La Real and quickly became a starter following Héctor Moreno’s move to Al-Gharafa in 2019.
Bit by bit, Le Normand emerged as an indispensable figure under Imanol Alguacil, winning the Copa del Rey Final against Athletic Club in April 2021. Six months later, Le Normand was named the La Liga Player of the Month, becoming the second defender to win the award after Diego Godín did it in April and May 2014.
Le Normand racked up 221 appearances for Real Sociedad and played a crucial role in their return to the UEFA Champions League after a decade-long absence, with La Real finishing fourth in 2022/23. These electrifying displays prompted the attention of La Roja, with Le Normand being granted Spanish nationality and making his debut for Spain in June 2023. He excelled in defense alongside fellow French-born defender Aymeric Laporte as Spain won the UEFA Nations League, and he continued his impressive performances the following summer in Germany.
Whilst Le Normand’s ability to progress the ball isn’t as impressive as the likes of Reinildo Mandava or Axel Witsel, he is rather efficient when it comes to defensive duels, consistently coming out on top in ground duels. This fearlessness off the ball and his well-timed interventions should prove vital under Cholo, and it could very well see him emerge as one of the first names on the Atleti team sheet.
Le Normand also excels at winning aerial duels, averaging over six aerial duels per 90 and coming out on top more than regularly. He loves battling for a header and holding his own in the air, a player who never shies away from a challenge and who is always on guard and ready to utilize his physicality and strong jump to his advantage.
The above chart compares Robin Le Normand with the rest of the La Liga players in his position using percentiles in different aspects of the game. The percentiles work in the way that the higher the number, the better he is in that aspect of the game. For example, if the value is 87, this means he is better than 87% of the players he is compared to.
Here we can see that Le Normand gets involved a lot on the ball as he was playing at Real Sociedad, a team that likes to have possession, and he is in a high percentile in touches and passes attempted and completed. In addition, he poses a threat in front of goal in the 75th percentile for goals scored. This aspect is important for Atlético de Madrid, who struggled last season in scoring goals from set-pieces, and Le Normand should be able to improve this deficiency.
Moreover, he also registers low numbers in tackles + interceptions as well as in the success rate in 1vs1s. This tells us that in 1vs1 situations, he can often get beaten by the other forwards which is an aspect to improve as Atlético play a three-center-back formation, and if Le Normand is to be placed in a wider position he will be exposed to these actions. Overall, he has a very similar profile to that of Aitor Paredes at Athletic Club, Stefan De Vrij at Inter, and Manchester United’s new signing Leny Yoro.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Robin Le Normand is an excellent signing for Atlético de Madrid as he is an ideal profile of the center-back that Simeone wants in his squad. He is able to progress the ball as well as get involved in the build-up, but most importantly, his defensive capabilities are great as he dominates his defensive and aerial duels and is constantly effective in terms of his physical battles.
Whilst he could be exposed as a wide center-back due to his issues in 1v1 situations, Le Normand has the experience and composure to become a vital fixture in central defense for Atleti. He’s far more durable than the injury-prone José María Giménez, and at 27, he’s a much younger option than Axel Witsel (35), Reinildo Mandava (30), and César Azpilicueta (34). Atleti have acquired a player who is riding high on confidence and who should prove vital in defense over the next few years, and there’s reason to believe that he will quickly solidify his status as a leader at the back for Simeone’s Colchoneros.
By: Juan Fernandez Valencia / @ScoutLaLiga
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Chris Brunskill / Fantasista / Getty Images