Atlético returned to Wanda Metropolitano aware that the victory served to increase the distance with Sevilla for third place and secure the mattress with Getafe and Real Sociedad. With a very recognizable eleven, the rojiblanco team found a wall from Alavés with the eleven players closed in a few meters. Atlético struggled to overcome the rival lines and lived a first half charged with possession without danger.
However, Llorente's entry changed the script of the game. He forced a foul that became Saúl's goal after a great Trippier cross and later took a penalty that Costa scored, another change that improved the team. Cholo loses Savic and Koke to face Barcelona, although Atlético could try to have the card taken from their captain, since the indicated penalty seems to touch his body before the hand.
Oblak: He had no trouble stopping Aleix Vidal's shot from inside the box. A controversial penalty in the discount left him unable to keep the goal to zero for the fourth straight game. Joselu's shot was final.
Trippier: The English alternate in recent games the position of right back with Arias. Very active in attack, as always stands out more when he sees the pass to the gap on the back between the left center and his side before when he reaches the baseline. From a good ball on the wing to Llorente was born the lack that put Saúl's goal perfectly. Great assist again on set pieces.
Savic: Like Giménez, he had to play with the very advanced lines located in the mattress attacks past the midfield and with many meters behind him. He saw the yellow for a strong foul on Burke and can not be at the Camp Nou.
Giménez: It has returned from the hiatus to a very high level. Playing in the left profile, he was quick to drop the band in coverage to Lodi, strong in the aerial game, where he could also score a goal and with a lot of discretion with the ball. A priori, he will partner with Felipe at the Camp Nou with the return of the Brazilian to the team.
I gave it: An increasingly fundamental player in attack, but who continues to suffer in defense. The Brazilian constantly came to the rival area in unmarked space looking for speed at the rival side. He put a great center for the header of Morata who went off just narrowly. He was able to score with a cross shot that Pacheco saved. Back he had more problems, sometimes out of place and forcing Giménez to be very attentive.
Thomas: He saw yellow in the first half for stopping Abdallahi's foul. Well in their aid to Savic and Giménez, who were very exposed with the lines so advanced. With the ball he was not particularly brilliant and could not test his powerful long shot.
Saul: In the first half he had a lot of contact with the ball, but very far from the area. With possession in a standing position, it is harder for him to break lines with his passes, until he reaches the point of despair and tries to reach the rival area with imprecise long balls. Starting in the second half, he moved from the double pivot to the band to appear closer to the rival area and with a set piece he achieved the goal that opened the scoring with a chopped header after Trippier's cross. He already has four goals in the League.
Saúl got the goal with a header in the area to beat Pacheco.
Marshal (EFE)
Belt: He is not as electric as before the break, most likely due to the muscle injury that prevented him from having a good 'preseason'. Without that speed in the final meters, he loses a lot of overflow capacity and options when improvising with cuts, turns and dribbles near the rival area. Lack of precision in controls. He left substituted in the 56th minute.
Koke: He kneaded the ball with constant undetermined passes. He went down a lot to receive midfield, but very far from the danger zone and with great predictability in the movement of the ball. In the second half he was better, forming a double pivot with Thomas, he could be seen more finding his colleagues better placed. The referee whistled a penalty for an action in which the ball hits the body and then rebounded in the hand and the game against Barcelona will also be lost.
João Félix: He wants to be the protagonist and seeks to enter the game, but could not be decisive. He was on the verge of acrobatic scoring in a very difficult shot in the middle of the turn that went off just touching the post. He received a strong stomp from Tachi that left him very sore. With the passage of minutes, the position of second forward was interspersed with that of the interior right with Correa. Too individualistic looking for the shot when Koke offered an unmarked advantage. He was losing presence in the game until he was replaced after 65 minutes by Carrasco.
Morata: He had the first of the game with a header that went wide. He is not the best Morata of the season, lacking chances and confidence. Alavés' defense boxed him in the area and took away the spaces to run, one of the best virtues of '9'. When he came into contact with the ball, the play did not improve. He left substituted in 56 minutes on a gray night.
Llorente, again decisive
Llorente: The fashionable player entered in 56 minutes to revolutionize the game. It is a real earthquake and is full of confidence. The first one he received forced a yellow card on the play that marked the first goal. In the second he looked for the goal, making Pacheco intervene and in the third he forced a controversial penalty with a play full of physical power and overflow.
Diego Costa: He jumped onto the pitch for Morata and saw the door on his penalty shot. He cheated on Pacheco and scored his fourth league goal. He is seen in good shape on the return to competition, finer and without any fear of going into shock after that back operation that in March still kept him limping.
Carrasco: Each time with more weight for Simeone, it was the third rojiblanco change. He left a great combination with Costa and his good start for Lodi that Pacheco stopped. It is important that it is toned.