A first league title for 18 years under former player Diego Simeone yesterday completes the remarkable transformation of the club that once nicknamed itself "the cursed ones".
When Simeone arrived back at Atletico two days before Christmas in 2011, the club sat four points from the relegation zone and had just been eliminated by third tier Albacete over two legs in the Copa del Rey.
Nearly two-and-a-half years later nine of those beaten by Albacete were parading around Stamford Bridge having just defeated Chelsea 3-1 to reach the club's first Champions League final for 40 years.
Led back to the top flight by a fresh-faced Fernando Torres, the Atletico fans became accustomed to loving and losing as one by one each of their heroes was picked off by richer foes abroad.
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Torres' transfer to Liverpool in 2007 was followed by the departures of Sergio Aguero, Diego Forlan and David de Gea before Simeone's appointment.
Last summer it was Radamel Falcao who departed in a 60 million euro move to football's latest nouveau riche fad in Monaco.
Yet, Simeone's incessant focus on a team that works completely as one rather than relying on individual stars has, even in Falcao's absence, propelled Los Rojiblancos to even greater achievements.
Simeone's repeated soundbites in press conferences had played down Atletico's title chances at every chance this season.