Atlético – Betis | To the Champions with the shield

VAR's intrigue filled the entire match. Atlético had scored two goals at half-time and none of them were on the scoreboard when the players went to rest.. They had both taken the VAR from them. The first, by Correa, by a hand from Llorente. The second after three and a half minutes that took years. Morata had marked it with a subtle chopped shot, after a deep pass by Koke. The ball kissed the post and entered the goal. But the beep in the ear of González González stopped the celebration. Estrada Fernández called him, from the VOR with squad and bevel. Those three long and a half minutes decreed that Morata was offside for a hair. The Champions had to wait. At the moment. Simeone was smacking her lips on her bench.

32 degrees he was doing in Madrid and the technician dressed in gala to receive the mathematical Champions in his long-sleeved black suit, such as the Hermoso shirt, from the infirmary to eleven, two brave men. He and Trippier were the only changes in the eleven of a Cholo that he needs to do less and less, his players more fit. At Betis, a lot of refreshment. Six changes and Alexis renouncing the extremes and with the return of the clairvoyance of Canales. A Betis with nothing already at stake, in a season with more shade than light, that Atlético got choked.

Nothing happened beyond a few steps here others beyond the central circle. Except for a shot by Llorente, Atlético did not press too hard, as Madrid was already choking. Betis grew around the ball and a tough Fekir. His domain lacked opportunities, arrivals with danger. Until infinite applause began to erupt from the speakers of an empty Metropolitan. Dani Martín pulled out a ball that, as he flew, was becoming a goal center for Loren's career, which slipped to Trippier. The Atleti answered almost immediately with that goal from Correa that annulled the VAR. That was Atleti, isolated actions, broken between the lines, lost in defense.

When Guardado threatened again with a shot that went wide, Simeone looked back and nodded: Arias, to heat up. Trippier's back was a hole. Before the first part was over, the Colombian was playing. The English, injured, asked for the change in the umpteenth of a Betis that ended better. Kept, touched too, he left at once. When the break came, Cholo was meditating and wounded from VAR. Like Morata.

The game returned at the feet of Betis. Atlético unstitched and without overflow. Simeone looked for it all at once with three changes: Carrasco, Vitolo and Costa. They entered right after Loren wasted a light heads-up with Oblak. With all the goal in front of him, and he threw out. But he had already raised his hand in the game and was not going to lower it. Fekir off, everything happened around him. Simeone had no time to see how his changes fit. Beautiful stepped on Loren from behind and in the shower, red.

Betis sniffed the goal in every action, with Moreno, a knife, and the entrance of Emerson and Joaquín. But if there is a team that knows how to resist, that is Atleti. And so he did. Grit your teeth, chew and wait for your chance. He got a set piece. A fault that Carrasco and Costa threw away finished off with the shield while the VAR called González González's ear again. Another intrigue that was freezing the celebration of Atleti, another three long minutes until the referee's whistle decreed. Goal. Three points and the Champions. Official, mathematician, that which seemed so far away in the months of confinement. For the eighth consecutive year with Cholo. For the eighth season in a row. Sounds like routine, one more Monday in the office. But let no one forget that it is extraordinary. Ole Ole.