Atlético aggravates its crisis in Granada
Fourth consecutive defeat for Simeone’s men, who leave the Champions League positions
MADRID, 22 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid remains mired in a deep crisis after conceding their fourth consecutive defeat (2-1) this Wednesday, during their visit to Granada, after a postponed match on the ninth day in which the rojiblancos deserved better luck, especially after the exhibition of Joao Félix, the most outstanding in the current champion.
Simeone’s men have gotten into a lot of trouble. The defeat in Granada, due to the goals of Darwin Machís and Jorge Molina, takes them out of the ‘Champions’ positions and induces them to one of the worst streaks of the Argentine coach since he arrived at Manzanares. This Thursday, precisely, he will turn ten years at the helm.
And that the night turned very soon for an Atleti who found the treasure that every team wants at the beginning. An early goal that calms down the rival and gives him license to rule the game. So it was, Joao Félix took advantage of the ownership, took the reason from his coach, and scored with a cross shot after an error by Germán. The goal enlivened the meeting from its first minutes.
Atlético, on the other hand, wanted to take power away from the party with more presence in the center of the field and thus be able to avoid problems in their improvised defense with Kondogbia as central. However, the plan did not go well for the mattress team, who received the tie shortly after the first quarter of an hour. This time it was the work of Darwin Machís.
The Venezuelan player invented a shoe from outside the area that surprised Oblak. The goal was vital so that the Nasrids did not unplug from the game. His unbeaten month in the league was for something and he showed it in the most difficult moment of the match. Puertas and Luis Suárez gave a good account of it before the break.
There came the key moment of the match, when the referee Hernández Hernández decided to annul a goal by Joao Félix, clearly legal, but which he invalidated due to an alleged fault in the jump. Two minutes later, the Portuguese tried again, the best weapon of Madrid in the face of Suárez’s drought. The Uruguayan has only one goal in the last 12 games as a mattress.
The draw cooled the spirits of an Atleti who continued to create chances in the restart, but with the feeling of having the game under control. Sooner or later a goal would come that would change everything. First it was Lemar with Suárez, who were close, and then Joao Félix again with a violent shot at the base of the post. But the script was completely rewritten.
POST BY JOAO FÉLIX AND GOAL BY JORGE MOLINA
In the same play, in that rejection of Joao, Granada took the lead in an action on the right wing that culminated the eternal Jorge Molina, who has lived his week of glory with four goals at 39 years of age. The ex of Getafe put the toe and achieved the 2-1, yes, after the intervention of a VAR that was decisive when the home team gave up the goal.
From there, Atlético tried to avoid the shipwreck with two very clear occasions in Correa and Cunha’s boots, the latter one minute from the end. But Robert Moreno’s pupils resisted well, sustained their advantage and certified a triumph that gives them air to finish 2021 almost in the middle of the table, while his victim is still in trouble and expects a swerve soon.
DATASHEET.
– RESULT: GRANADA, 2 – ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1 (1-1, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS.
GRANADA: Luis Maximiano; Arias (Víctor Díaz, min.46), Germán, Torrente, Carlos Neva; Puertas, Milla, Isma Ruiz (Monchu, min.79), Machís (Escudero, min.66); Suárez (Bacca, min.90) and Jorge Molina.
ATHLETIC OF MADRID: Oblak; Felipe, Kondogbia (Herrera, min.68), Hermoso, Trippier; De Paul (Correa, min.68), Koke, Lemar, Carrasco (Lodi, min.78); Luis Suárez (Cunha, min.68) and Joao Félix.
–GOALS:
0-1, min.2, Joao Félix.
1-1, min.17, Machís.
2-1, min.61, Jorge Molina.
– REFEREE: Hernández Hernández (C. Las Palmas). He cautioned De Paul (min.7) with a yellow card at Atlético de Madrid; and to Maximiano (min.68), Isma Ruiz (min.69), Monchu (min.86) and Torrente (min.95) in Granada.
–STADIUM: New Los Cármenes. 13,304 spectators.