Atlético recovered the defense of three centrals with Giménez in the eleven and Carrasco in the left lane. Herrera was the great novelty in the center of the field and the rojiblanco team began sending, finding João Félix and looking for the goal. But, after getting it through Griezmann, he stopped hovering around the rival goal and suffered the tie in another rude double mistake behind, between Herrera and Suárez, who committed a penalty at the exit of a corner that had originated a minute before in a rojiblanco corner kick badly taken by Trippier and a counter commanded by Morales.
Cunha put the 1-2 in the goal that seemed like it was going to give a victory to Atlético Against an opponent who always complicates his life, but the VAR decreed a penalty for a hand from Lodi that meant the final draw for Levante. A nonsense that something like that could cost two points. Another match that escapes an Atlético without reliability in defense and the one who had a hard time generating more chances against a rival who was able to equalize the match twice. There are footballers far from their best version.
Cloud: Impossible to leave with a clean sheet with such rude defensive errors. A corner from Levante was unable to remove neither Herrera nor Suárez, who committed a penalty for Bardhi to tie the game. Again the Macedonian would penalize him from the penalty spot in a controversial play. They have seven goals against in three games since the break, where he has hardly been able to intervene other than to get the ball out of his net.
Trippier: Atlético’s attacks were overturned by the left profile. He misses Llorente, the player with whom he best understands, although he seeks to combine with Griezmann in that profile. He took a fatal corner that ended up leading to one against Levante and in the long run, after two corners, becoming a penalty for Bardhi’s first goal. He does not manage to contribute in the final meters as he did last season.
Gimenez: He returned to eleven after two substitutions where Atlético had bled to death in his area. Profiled to the right in the line of three centrals, leaving Felipe in the center of the rear. With the entry of Lodi the team recovered the defense of four, becoming a couple with Felipe behind. Atlético is insecure in their rear, afraid of any attack from the rival and between the Uruguayan and Savic, already recovered and waiting to play again, they have to solve it.
Felipe: It is not in a good moment and intersperses recovery actions with exits and absences. It already happened to him against Real Sociedad, where very soon he saw the card and had to be very careful the rest of the match, and against Levante he was reprimanded when they were 20 minutes into the match. He assisted Griezmann in the goal that opened the scoring by putting a header at the far post. He is aware of his insecurity and clears balls towards the band without trying to guide them or take risks.
Handsome: When he leaves the place it is difficult for him, and falling to the left wing he had to stop with a very strong foul against Morales before reaching the 20th minute that forced him to live with a warning and to the limit until he left the field. Important work with the ball as usual, trying to break lines and game changes, he was replaced by Lodi recovering a line of four behind. The rear is much softer than a year ago.
Carrasco: He regained his place in the left lane trying to face, dribble and combine a lot with João Félix, although the rojiblanco attack was flattening and it was difficult for him to run with an advantage. Little participation, we must demand more from the Belgian. Too many minutes went unnoticed.
Herrera: Great novelty in the eleven, standing next to Koke to provide the center of the field with a more positional and active player in the ball exit. He was doing everything well, until he failed to clear a corner from Levante that ended up leading to a penalty for the draw. With the ball he moved the team well, handled the ball and tried to break lines and get into the game a lot.
Boil: With Herrera at his side he had a more positional bra in midfield. This season he has not yet found the speed of play that the season served him to be the great benchmark of the team from the pivot. Without Lemar in the middle, Atlético need more input to break lines and the captain is not fine. Simeone needs you at your best.
João Felix: Full of confidence, the Cholo knows that he is in a great moment and has taken over the title site. He was the first to look for the goal, controlling a pass from Herrera with his chest and hitting hard and forcing Aitor to make a good save. He asked for the ball, sought to receive between the lines and create, with a fantastic pass for Griezmann. Constantly stopped with grabs and fouls that were not penalized with a card. As the minutes passed, he was losing steam, desperate with the local stops.
Griezmann: He was reunited with the goal in the League in a play where he himself had taken the corner and in a second action he took advantage of Felipe’s header to overcome Aitor always well located in the area and smart to find his shot. Very open to the right, he tried to reach the baseline with his driving skills, but he still needs to get into the game more, to be a reference in the attack as before he left for Barcelona.
Suarez: A game of suffering for the Uruguayan, who was very controlled by the three central Levante and could barely appear in attack. And in defense he tried to control a ball in his own area, Vezo overtook him and committed a penalty for Levante to equalize. A very serious mistake, since it could have cleared first. Simeone replaced him in the 59th minute despite the draw with the desperate Uruguayan because he was not able to find the danger zone. One of his grayer rojiblanco days.
Cunha and De Paul put the advantage and Lodi committed a VAR penalty
From Paul: He substituted for Herrera to try to put Atlético football in a new gear and left a magical play to assist Cunha, breaking lines with his driving and putting a fantastic pass to the Brazilian. With his intensity he had given strength and struggle to the center of the field.
Correa: He entered through Suárez to play a false nine and press the exit of Levante with speed and unchecked into space. With Cunha in the field he was able to place himself behind a reference, a favorite position for the Argentine. With the second rojiblanco goal he was placed as a right inside, with the mission of collaborating with Trippier to block that band.
Lodi: He recovered the defense of four replacing Hermoso in the 66th minute. Always happier when he can play in attack than when he has to close his band in defense, as happened after Cunha’s goal. The referee, with the work of the VAR, whistled as a penalty a ball that brushed him in the chest and later in the hand trying to cut a lateral center that went to the corner.
Cunha: Atlético’s amulet, in its few minutes on the pitch, the team had practically always improved its result and this time it was a direct protagonist, since it put the second goal from Atletico receiving a pass from De Paul, controlling with mettle in the area despite that he had deflected a Levante defender and beaten Aitor below the legs. Reference above in the 20 minutes he had, the penalty left him without glory.