When the headlines are healthy, Atlético’s defense is another. The red and white team he kept a clean sheet in the derby with a great performance from his defenseplaying for more than an hour with many meters behind him and finishing crouching over his area after failing to kill a match where the occasions had been concentrating without success.
In a course where the individual errors behind have been weighing down the team, Atlético’s defense was a block, it was always safe, forceful and when Oblak had to appear he showed that he is an extraordinary goalkeeper, although this has probably been his most difficult season as a rojiblanco. to slovenian too he looks safer when he has Savic and Giménez ahead of him, aware of having the two centre-backs he knows best and who are most decisive in all facets of the game. A calm that moves between them.
Back to a defense of four, Vrsaljko, Savic, Giménez and Reinildo worked hard to avoid arrivals in superiority and with spaces from Real Madrid. Jovic had the two clearest for the whites in the only times they managed to get over that line. Just before the break after a great interception from Vrsaljko to Rodrygo, but leaving the rebound for the Serbian crashed with an extraordinary leg from Oblak and in the second half with an inside ball whose shot was intercepted by Savic going well to the ground. The rest of the attempts went through distant shots, where Oblak was very attentive to stop Valverde twice and Asensio in the last moments.
According to Olocip data, Atlético’s goalkeeper is the most fit player in the squad and has obtained the best individual score in four of the last five games. All except against Espanyol, where he was second behind the bigoleador Carrasco. And Savic and Giménez returned to form a couple behind for the first time since the match against Alavéscompleted with a 4-1 rojiblanca victory (the Uruguayan was substituted in the 86th minute due to an injury that kept him out until San Mamés, where Savic was suspended).
Transfermarkt statistics indicate that they are the two Atlético players with the best average points per game (excluding Saúl and Javi Serrano for not having passed the five games). In the 22 games that Giménez has participated in, Atlético has averaged 2.23 points, while in Savic’s 25 the average has been 2.08. They are followed on the list by a Felipe who is a regular resource from the bench to close games with an advantage and a Reinildo who has significantly improved his defense since his signing in winter.
in the derbyGiménez was the Atlético player with the most good passes completed (52 with 92.9% accuracy) followed by Savic (49 with 89.1%) and Kondogbia (46 with 92%). The Uruguayan made three clearances, won two duels and added three recoveries. The Montenegrin won five of his seven melee duels, made two tackles, both successful, and added five recoveries.
Simeone knows that having been able to count on his two centre-backs together Only in 17 league games (out of 35) has he been a huge drag. “They are important pillars in the team. Last season was a very strong season with a stable line of three, with Hermoso joining that defense and this season the injuries did not allow us to have Savic and José in a lot of games and it is clear that we suffered them. They are important players and hopefully we can have regularity, which is important in this game”, Cholo explained at the end of the match. Life at Atlético is easier with the trident in the rear.