Cloud: Atlético fell behind with an advantage on the scoreboard and Osasuna sought to do damage with lateral crosses and arriving in the area with many people. In the first half, the post saved the goal after a poorly defended corner from behind. He left an unorthodox intervention but well repelled to a cross shot from Nacho Vidal and several balls saved to comfortable shots. Good in the aerial game, he left the first clean sheet away from home of the season at last. Fundamental confidence for the Champions League.
Vrsaljko: His entry on the right side is a balm for Llorente. He had a lot of work, since Osasuna loads the bands to look for the centers. Well covering Rubén García and Manu Sánchez, he also had to be very careful to close his back in the centers from the other profile. Serious match for the Croatian, who managed well with a card.
Savic: He was reunited with Budimir, with whom he had a great confrontation last season and a very difficult striker to mark due to his height and good aerial game. He tried not to raffle the ball, sometimes leaving the site with the ball under control to try to give clarity to the game. Osasuna was arriving with more and more consistency, but the Montenegrin was very serious, strong from above and attentive to errors or loose balls in the area.
Gimenez: With the team most lacking in confidence, the Uruguayan was clear that he did not want any loose balls or possible second plays and it was never complicated despite the fact that on occasions he could easily play with the midfielder who went down to receive. Osasuna was looking for Budimir up front, constantly adding players from the second row, so concentration was essential for the central defenders. He has returned from the coronavirus directly to eleven against Levante and in his second start in three days he was substituted at rest four days after playing in the Champions League. Injuries are his biggest enemy.
Reinildo: He has won the place very easily from Lodi without hardly having to show his best qualities. For Simeone, that ability to insert himself practically as a third central defender when the team falls back in defense adds a lot, leaving the lane to Carrasco and getting closer to Giménez and Savic. Strong in the aerial game, in these first games he has been seen to suffer with the inside balls behind him. It seems that the games of struggle and fight are going for him.
Herrera: One of the great novelties of Simeone’s eleven, in search of finding clarity and game in the engine room. The Mexican is participating very little this season, but he gives the feeling of having more clarity of ideas when he enters a machine room that is having a hard time generating than his competitors. Always a support, an easy exit, a well-played ball. He also did a good defensive job, stealing, winning duels from above and being well positioned. Opportunity fully seized.
Boil: More comfortable with Herrera at his side, relieving him of so much responsibility at the start and giving him a teammate with the ability to combine from below in one more game of possession. He rounded off his best performance in a long time with an assist on goal for Correa. He tries to act as a fire extinguisher, coming out under pressure and making constant coverage, although this season he is sometimes overwhelmed in the center of the field when the rivals gather forces in the middle. Simeone finished with four midfielders.
Llorente: The presence of Vrsaljko freed him from the right side. He starting from inside right, but with a lot of freedom to get inside and try to get into the game more often. In the first minutes, a good connection was seen with Vrsaljko running into space to win the baseline, but the team fell behind and could barely run. He was noticing fatigued, until he was replaced. He has played a lot recently recovered from a long injury. Much more comfortable away from the side.
Carrasco: Starting in the eleven overcome the coronavirus. He is fundamental at Atlético, he always gives a wide start, he allows the team to breathe when it is overwhelmed thanks to his individual quality and ability to protect the ball and he is always a danger. In addition, he is capital in defense, always helping Reinildo. His loss in the Champions League tie against Manchester United is a burden for the team.
Joao Felix: He soon celebrated his 100 games as a rojiblanco, taking advantage of a loose ball from Sergio Herrera to put it in the net. He is good at El Sadar. He has extraordinary quality, he can be seen at every control and he’s happy the more possession he has, but the team fell back and it’s more complicated that way. The pass from him to space for Suárez is pure caviar, and the Uruguayan improved it with a spectacular strike. He applied Simeone’s tactical system, doing a good job of pressing and falling back. He left substituted after a great performance.
Suarez: He is no longer ready to run into space, he knows it and in that situation he shot from 40 meters with his left foot to score one of LaLiga’s goals. Atlético began pressing up front, but was losing presence in the Osasuna field and that makes the games very complicated for the Uruguayan. He had barely been able to enter the game before his great goal and always with his back turned, with the team sinking in their own field. It is a type of football that does not suit him, but he still has magic in his boots.
Simeone shielded himself in defense
Felipe: Change at half-time to replace Giménez. He had a site exit that Savic had to solve, but the rest of the match was serious against the constant lateral crosses from Osasuna.
Kondogbia: Simeone wanted to seal the result and introduced defensive midfielders with aerial power. He moved behind Herrera and Koke to sweep up loose balls and dig deep into crosses from the flank.
Correa: Everything he touches goes inside, he doesn’t care about starting or having to wait for his opportunity from the bench. He stood as a reference and defined Koke’s pass in heads-up play. He is the most enlightened player this season.
Javier Serrano: Minutes for the youth squad, always applied and intense to try to put even more concrete in the center of the mattress field. He recovered the ball that led to Correa’s goal and saw a yellow card because he eats the grass, he wants to take advantage of every chance that Simeone gives him.
Handsome: Cholo finished shielding himself to leave his first clean sheet out all season. He ended up closing with Felipe and Savic to repel Osasuna’s crosses.