Atletico 4-Alaves 1 | João and Suárez warn City

The man in black emerged from the Metropolitan tunnel under thunderous applause, an applause that seeped under the fibers of his suit, today not only on his skin, but also under it, the mourning filling everything. Especially the eyes of the coach. The one with the results had already been gone for several games, when LaLiga 14 began against Osasuna, but the one that marked this match against Alavés will accompany him all his life, the lack of his father, Carlos Simeone, who died in this break. The Metropolitan hugged him tight before the game, with a minute of silence as dense and sad as the anthem in the background. The ball began to roll under another thunderous applause.

When the football started it was with a scare, a fall by Llorente after a stomp. A Llorente who, with the return of Vrsaljko, played in the middle, along with Kondogbia, in another comeback: that of Cholo’s team at 4-4-2, the bands for Lemar and Lodi, the lead for Joãomann. A Llorente who limped for several minutes. Until João legally removed the scare, because Lemar had done it before but his goal was annulled. Now Vrsaljko sent a center with a bow to the Portuguese, who only had to put his head to remove the bow. To the square, unappealable. 1-0. Minute 11. Alavés, disconcerted before the 4-4-2 rojiblanco, did not finish settling on the pitch. It was just long balls to nowhere, while Laguardia kept looking for João’s mark on the goal. Those from Mendilibar started the match even more sunk, last in the table.

It was after an elbow from Lodi on Edgar in the area, which went through the VAR without punishment, that football stoppedeven if the clock was ticking. With falls, fouls, footballers on the ground. A header between Vrsaljko and Lejeune, a clash between Duarte and Pina, the assists on the pitch lasted longer than the ball itself. Atleti took steps back, Alavés grew. The ball ended up being his, with Joselu in the preparation and definition without being anywhere. The rojiblancos, withdrawn, waited for cons to show physical exuberance. And a little more. The break came with the game on his line: stops, falls, assists to the green after the umpteenth elbow, now from Vrsaljko to Pina (without card or VAR).

After the break, two double changes: Navarro and Vallejo for Duarte and Pons, De Paul and Carrasco for Lodi and Lemar. Alavés advanced their lines, the rojiblancos unable to tear off their pressure, unable to get hold of the ball. Lejeune warned when combing a Vallejo free kick that went wide very close to the post. The occasion woke up Atleti, looking at the scoreboard, seeing that the advantage was only one goal. But Griezmann was offside when he was left alone against Pacheco. But Llorente shot wide.

Cunhaism, growing religion

And two minutes after Simeone removed It bites to introduce Suárez that go-ahead goal had vanished. Alavés only had to scratch where they know there is a wound: with a lateral center and from above. Edgar put it, Escalante finished it while Giménez and De Paul made the statue. 1-1. The rojiblanca reaction was to reproach themselves more than trying to snatch the leather from Alavés. Everything changed when Simeone looked at his bench for the fourth time: Cunha inside. Out of nowhere, a minute later, he caused a penalty, everything changed.

The cunning is a growing religion in the Metropolitan, a stadium surrendered to its john maravillão. The Portuguese made the wound bigger, sending to the net the rejection of a ball that had first given Cunha to an empty goal and the Brazilian missed. Giménez left limping, shaking his head, while Suárez blew his boot for the second time and the crowd sang. Be be be. A his Diego Father. Always son. Don Carlos there, in the third amphitheater.