Disfigured by Alavés, Atlético fell in Mendizorroza thanks to two great goals from Benavidez and Luis Rioja and the victory on the scoreboard of Luis García over Diego Pablo Simeone. The local team, which has salvation just a stone’s throw away, was more concrete and clear in its proposal. He knew how to jam his opponent and how to execute him. What for Atlético should have been an opportunity to put things in between with Athletic in the fight for a place in the next Champions League ended up turning the match between the two next Saturday into a final.
2
Sivera, Javi López, Nahuel Tenaglia, Abdel Abqar, Rafa Marín, Giuliano Simeone (Carlos Vicente, min. 78), Gorosabel (Luis Rioja, min. 88), Carlos Benavídez, Guridi (Ander Guevara, min. 70), Antonio Blanco and Kike García (Joaquín Panichelli, min. 78)
0
Oblak, Giménez, Azpilicueta (Reinildo Mandava, min. 57), Savic (Abde Raihani, min. 80), Nahuel Molina (Mario Hermoso, min. 80), Samuel Lino, Pablo Barrios Rivas (Rodrigo Riquelme, min. 67), Koke, De Paul (Saúl, min. 45), Correa and Griezmann
Goals 1-0 min. 15: Carlos Benavidez. 2-0 min. 92: Luis Rioja.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano
Yellow cards Guridi (min. 1), Javi López (min. 6), Abdel Abqar (min. 32), Correa (min. 45), Carlos Benavídez (min. 48), Azpilicueta (min. 50) and Savic (min. 68 )
Hit by the elimination in Dortmund, Atlético’s players did not seem to be prepared for a match of breaks and tears. They stagnated in the hard leg start with which the match opened. A flood of fouls on the part of one team and another. That start already warned Simeone’s team that the afternoon was not looking pleasant. They played rough football and Atlético did not feel comfortable. It was a duel for gladiators and the leader of the Alavés seemed like Giuliano Simeone. Cholo’s son, fallen to the left, showed what the party asked for. Aggressiveness in duels and speed for the second plays. The son showing his father what his soccer players didn’t give him. Guridi, Gorosabel, Benavidez and Kike García were on the same wavelength as Simeone junior. Winners of almost all the duels, they reduced the list of players deployed by the Argentine coach to mediocrity. The three midfielders, Koke, De Paul and Barrios, disheartened and outmatched and Correa and Griezmann disconnected, his team did not know what they had to play, or against what, or against whom. Alavés completed their control of the match with a goal that once again showed that Atlético’s defensive solidity has disintegrated this season.
A simple long throw-in from the rival goalkeeper can be enough to bend the Colchonero defensive system. That’s what Siviera did. His long kick was won by Kike García over Nahuel Molina on the edge of the area and the haircut fell to Giuliano Simeone. The cross behind him was poorly cleared and the ball fell to Benavidez in the vicinity of the crescent. From there, the Uruguayan midfielder executed a millimeter pass to the net. With the inside of his right boot he drew a curve that slipped along the base of Oblak’s left post. The most basic play can cause a breakdown to a team that has been wrinkled throughout the entire season away from home.
Then, with Atlético still stunned by the goal conceded, a loss by Lino, turning in the vicinity of the area, could have led to Alavés’ second goal. The quick transition ended in the boots of Giuliano Simeone at the penalty spot. The shot went high for the boy, in what would have been a full-fledged sporting patricide. Atlético did not raise its head for the remainder of the first half. He neither played nor threatened Siviera with a play. It was a torn team, in which the patches that Simeone introduced in the second act did not have much effect either, Alavés continued doing their thing, pressing high knowing the difficulty that Atlético found in making two passes in a row. Luis García’s footballers were clearer about how to progress towards the opposite field. Directly and into space, taking advantage of his rival’s confusion and confusion. Each gallop of Giuliano Simeone was cheered with joy by a crowd that felt that the game could not escape him. The only thing that endangered it was a raid by Nahuel Molina culminated in a center back hooked by Lino. The Brazilian’s shot was saved by Siviera on the goal line. The goalkeeper of the babazorro team made another worthy save on a cross shot by Correa. He pulled his legs and forearm to abort the last chance Atlético had. The following was the sentence of the match. A textbook counter, taken to the baseline. From there, Carlos Vicente put in a warm thread that was waiting for him free of the Luis Rioja brand. The violent volley blast burst Oblak’s top corner to create one of the best goals of the season. And the 63rd goal that the Slovenian goalkeeper has conceded so far this year in all competitions.
You can follow The USA Print in Facebook and xor sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.
