Simeone He made two changes with respect to the eleven that beat Alavés, both expected due to the circumstances. Boil returned after serving a one-match ban in the League and Felipe He entered for the injured Giménez. The surprise was the presence of Vrsaljko on the right side, so Llorente repeated in midfield. The plan was a 5-3-2, although for many moments it was a 5-5-0 in their own field. In minute 60 there was a triple change in search of a script twist, with something more similar to 5-4-1.
cloud: In the first half they didn’t get to shoot him on goal. A lot of siege, some low and aerial lateral centers and a lot of security from the Slovenian. With his feet he was less successful. His first save was in the 55th minute, from a direct free kick from De Bruyne: he first stopped the ball and then kicked it. In the second, also from the Belgian, he conceded 1-0.
Vrsaljko: Simeone also trusts him on big days. He blocked the first attempt with danger from the undetectable De Bruyne and then had to deal with Sterling, who he handcuffed very well during the first half.
Savic: It wasn’t complicated with the ball, either towards Oblak or in very long. His thing was to clear each ball that was around his area. In the 80′ he made a good stop to a low shot from De Bruyne.
Felipe: Quite a challenge for the Brazilian, in the center of defence. Good in the clearances and even in some anticipation bravely leaving his zone. At 1-0, De Bruyne slipped between him and Reinildo.
reinildo: In his line, sticky to anyone who entered his plot, especially Cancelo, De Bruyne and Mahrez. Then he does not complicate himself with the ball, although he is not afraid of having it either. He suffered more with Foden’s entry.
Lodi: Very attentive to Mahrez, he tried to steal some ball in the rival field, almost the most dangerous of the rojiblancos in the first half. Very sacrificed closing his lane, although he could barely fly as a winger.
Llorente: Start in the center of the field, where he likes it, and not on the side. One of the plans was to throw him long so that the band could run. The time he did better in the first half he was offside. He was skillful in closing spaces and passing lanes between the red and white ranks. He started the second half getting off the hook a couple of times and just lacked some precision to create chances. Substituted in the 60th minute.
Boil: The axis of the team, glue between the two tight lines with which Atleti defended itself. When the ball came to him, he tried to look for João Félix quickly. Substituted in the 60th minute.
Kondogbia: To the left of Koke, very solid. He made some interesting recoveries and tried to drive a couple of times with no luck. Overall, he was fairly reliable for the entire task ahead of him, though he lacked passing brilliance.
Griezmann: Little thing. He started as one of the forwards, but soon became a midfielder. He was barely able to touch the ball in the Manchester City field and struggled to cover lines between Gundögan, Sterling and Silva. In minute 48 he did have a good start, from area to area after a great steal from him, but the final pass was long. Two minutes later he directed another great against red and white without a shot. Substituted in the 60′.
João Félix: The first in pressure, but with the ball it was usually a solo against the world. He entered the City area a couple of times in that first half hour of stress and with the ball he always calmed down and looked forward, but he touched it very little and quite far. His main mission was to keep an eye on Cancelo, the side / inside / brain of Guardiola.
Simeone changes
From Paul: He entered the 60th minute together with Correa and Cunha. He had to do containment work, although he tried to give criteria with the ball. Shortly after entering he saw an unnecessary yellow,
Correa: He tried to move and ask between the lines, but they found little. In the final stretch, the expulsion was played due to a ball hitting an opponent on the ground with the game stopped, but he was left on yellow.
Cunha: In the first one he had, he already tried a vertical snatch. He stayed as a battering ram, looking to threaten a robbery or against. He came close to pocketing a tense cross from Vrsaljko.
Lemar: He came on in the 81st minute to calm down with the ball and was barely able to make a couple of vertical drives and passes to Correa. Unrated.