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Tiago Justifying Decision to Stay at Atletico Madrid Ahead of Chelsea Transfer

Paul Wilkes@@paulwilkesfootyX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistNovember 24, 2014

Atletico de Madrid’s Tiago from Portugal celebrates after scoring a goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and  Malaga at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014 . (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
Daniel Ochoa de Olza/Associated Press

There were numerous changes to the Atletico Madrid squad during the last transfer window.

These alterations led to a slow start by Diego Simeone's men, and some of the new signings are still not fully up to speed.

The intensity of the Argentine manager and his methods mean that it can take time for some players to adapt, and the demands of playing for the defending champions is considerably higher for many of the recent acquisitions.

Of the 10 players to arrive in the summer, only Jan Oblak and Mario Mandzukic had won the league with their former clubs.

That doesn't quite offset the experience lost, as Filipe Luis, Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois were integral to the team's championship win.

Then, there's David Villa, who not only contributed to 13 goals in 32 league starts last term, per Whoscored.com, but has also assisted his country in winning the European Championship and the World Cup through the years.

One player who was expected to leave was Portuguese midfielder Tiago.

It was reported that he had agreed to reunite with his former coach Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, as his contract at the Vicente Calderon had run out, via Simon Jones of the Daily Mail.

Then, surprisingly, he did a U-turn and signed a new deal in Madrid almost two months after his original one had expired.

"The club offered me the chance to renew my contract," he told the club's official website, per PA Sport, via ESPN FC. He added:

I felt proud because we had an incredible season, but I had thought it was the right time for the cycle to come to an end. I have been offered the chance to play in various international leagues and have taken some time to evaluate my options during the summer, but my final decision became clearer, and Atletico was the only option.

He revealed in September that the proposed move to Stamford Bridge was very much a reality and that it was he who had decided to stay in Spain.

"The summer was very difficult. I want to explain to the fans what happened but there are some things I cannot explain because they are not important," Tiago confessed in an interview with AS, via ESPN FC. "At the end of last season, I received a great offer [from Chelsea] and it made me think about making a change. But I realised that the most important thing was to feel important at a club."

That importance has been evident in the opening weeks of the campaign and was further highlighted in the victory over Malaga.

The holding midfielder scored his third goal of the campaign and provided an assist for Diego Godin, but it was his all-around game that shined most.

He completed all five of his attempted tackles and misplaced only four passes out of 44, via FourFourTwo Stats Zone.

Tiago is not a regular and arguably is not even first choice, although he is vital in the biggest matches.

He started both the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against old side Chelsea and the final itself with rivals Real Madrid.

Simeone realises how crucial Tiago is to the squad and the club as a whole.

This is a player who has won league titles with Chelsea and Lyon and claimed cup competitions in Portugal, England and Spain.

Last season's La Liga triumph was his fourth league championship, and that presence is exactly what's required to inspire the next generation.

He has been recalled to the national team after a four-year absence by new manager Fernando Santos.

His recent form has given him another opportunity at the age of 33.

Chelsea might be well on the way to winning the English Premier League, but Tiago knows his role in London would have been far less.

For Atletico Madrid, his value is certainly worth that new two-year agreement.