Simeone had the casualties of Carrasco, Giménez and Trippier and moved his team with an eye on the match next Tuesday in Porto, where the victory only serves to be able to be in the round of 16. Suárez, João Félix, Lemar and Hermoso started from the bench and Cunha, in his first rojiblanco start, Kondogbia and Lodi were the great novelties in Simeone’s scheme, who once again resorted to a defense of four.
Savic’s injury that complicates the center of the rear a lot. El Cholo is constantly changing his formation with the passage of the games, and formed with a 4-3-3 scheme in attack that became a 4-4-2 in the defensive section, playing with Correa’s position. The team went from more to less and the first half was turning leaden, without control or arrivals on Reina’s goal. Cunha managed to break the scoreboard, but the team backed down and paid for it. Final goal against for a disastrous image. The team has lost its strength at home, where it says goodbye to the year losing more and more points.
Cloud: He soon lost Savic, his most reliable defense lock. After half an hour he had to lay down a good hand to stop a powerful right hand from Kang-In Lee, who was about to make a goal shortly after with a shot from outside the area brushing the square. Russo finished off him in the header area and the Slovenian could do nothing to avoid another goal against this season after a hanging ball. And Kubo ended up killing the contra in hand to hand. This season practically every arrival is a goal, the rivals are very precise in their chances and the Slovenian leaves the games with more goals than saves.
Llorente: He continues to play as a right back, although Trippier’s return is very close. In that position he loses a lot of area of influence, despite the fact that he does not tire of offering an unmarking, depth on the side and a long start for his teammates. Last season’s second top scorer and top assistant is wasted there.
Savic: He lasted eight minutes on the field, until he had to run to close one against Abdon and felt the puncture in his thigh. A dramatic injury with what lies ahead, with Felipe sanctioned for Porto and Giménez between cotton wool. And Real Madrid and Seville are just around the corner. Lesions are priming with a poorly covered position.
Felipe: The Brazilian will not be able to play in Porto due to suspension, so he had to assume gallons back in the League. He started forming in the center of the rear outlined to the left accompanied by Savic, but the Montenegrin injury returned him to the right profile, naturally, forming alongside Hermoso. He does not want to get complicated and tries to act as a fronton, clearing every ball that comes through his area without measuring the direction and constantly falling in the dominions of Mallorca. Light years from his first year.
Lodi: He was not in Cádiz due to low back pain, but against Mallorca he had the opportunity as a left back. He steadily raised the band and his teammates looked for unchecks, testing Reina in the first half after beating Maffeo’s back. In defense he had a task and when he has to close in the area it costs him, although in the second half he was serious in the one on one. He is not managing to have the evolution that was glimpsed when he arrived.
Kondogbia: Another of the great novelties of the eleven, starting for the first time since October 19 against Liverpool. Pivot in the middle of three, as anchor with Koke and De Paul ahead. It was difficult for him to break lines and impose himself on the center of the Mallorca field, which with the passing of the minutes was taking control of the game. He did not provide control or was able to impose himself by physicality.
From Paul: The game began in a midfield with Kondogbia guarding his back and falling a lot to the left wing, an area where it is more difficult for him to shape himself and start the attacks or look for his long deliveries. He was trying to break lines with driving, but the attacks were static and shallow. He left replaced at game time. It often happens that without him on the field the results tend to worsen.
Boil: With the presence of Kondogbia, the idea was to bring the captain closer to the area, so that he could receive and generate football in the final meters, but it cost Atlético a lot in the first half. He went down to receive in the right profile to free Llorente, but without lucidity at the start, the team had no speed and the game was flat, something for which Koke is fundamental and where this season it is being more difficult to see his best version. He closed in the play of the second goal of Mallorca, where whenever they catch him in speed he will lose. He is playing everything, but at a level very far from his best version.
Correa: At 26, he already has 300 games with the Atlético shirt. A lot of freedom of movement in attack, but more workload in defense as a right inside to help Llorente a lot on his side. It was difficult to find him in advantage, with the opportunity to face an opponent face-to-face, but when he finally did, he left the goal assist for Cunha gaining the baseline and putting a good tense ball.
Griezmann: Cunha’s pair up front, falling to the left profile in attack and with great freedom to appear throughout the attack front. But Atlético had a hard time finding him, and when he did, it was from his back or without being able to look for the goal. He was not having his day, with hardly any decisive interventions due to the disconnection between midfield and forward and he left his place to João Félix at match time.
Cunha: First start at Atlético and his third goal to the personal locker. After four minutes he had already sought to see the door, receiving from Griezmann, driving and hitting with the right without getting to take the necessary thread. Characteristics very different from those of Suárez and with more similarities to those of Diego Costa, with the ability to receive and run from far away from the rival area. Ruiz de Galarreta could only stop him with a foul and a card, because the Brazilian was leaving everyone who came his way. The team was losing control of the game and it was more difficult to find him, but he would end up taking advantage of a Correa cross in the second to open the scoring. He had previously had her in a good team play and the center of Lodi, but she did not find a door in her good movement. He left replaced by Suarez with a good job on the pitch and with the score ahead before the debacle.
Final changes that didn’t help
Handsome: He rested looking askance at Porto, but Savic’s injury at eight minutes made him jump to the green as soon as the match began. Until the entrance of Lemar it was difficult for him to break any line with the pass. The team is low at the center line, so it will have to take a step forward, although at Atlético it has not settled in the middle with a defense of four.
Lemar: The team needed a different rhythm and the Frenchman is fundamental when it comes to breaking lines, finding football in the midfielder and proposing different things. His entrance was noticed immediately, more biting, game from inside and exit from behind.
João Félix: Back to the team after missing three games due to edema. He asked for the ball and tried to receive his back and give the team play, but it was difficult to find him between the lines and the danger zone.
Vrsaljko: His entry by Correa with the scoreboard in favor served to overtake Llorente, an aid for the Croatian on the band. However, the team took refuge behind and watched as they traced back. No precision in the centers or defense, bad feelings.
Suarez: He replaced Cunha after taking the lead on the scoreboard, but the team fell back until they saw him fall against Mallorca without enjoying the best opportunity near the rival area.