Atlético bleeds out

Atlético once again showed its worst face and complicate life in the fight for LaLiga with his defeat at San Mamés. The rojiblanco team came out to their match against Athletic aware that Barcelona and Sevilla had done their homework and were tightening the qualifying table even more, but after the first half the championship did not seem at all to be at stake.

Athletic, a team with little to fight for in the table, depressed after the last cup blows and with many casualties, surpassed Atlético in intensity and pressure and he went ahead very early in a counter where defensive failures were chained. After waking up in the second half and getting the tie still with time for the comeback, the rojiblanco team decided to lower the pulse to the game, although the hour was over and he ended up paying it with the goal of Iñigo Martínez at the exit of a corner. After the improvement in the second half, Atlético was able to get at least one point from their visit to San Mamés, but he left empty and continues with a crisis of results away from home that, if not remedied, will prevent any option to win LaLiga.

The great change of the season in Simeone's men had occurred precisely as a visitor, greatly increasing their benefits and getting 25 points out of 30 possible in his first ten starts of the championship. Last season playing outside the Wanda Metropolitano was a nightmare, but the errors had been corrected in a remarkable way … until everything was twisted again. In the last seven outings, Atlético won only one victory, against Villarreal 0-2. That far-reaching victory was on February 28, so on Wednesday there will be two months without winning away from home.

Seven games that, being more precise, could be considered eight, taking into account that the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 at home was played in Bucharest, with victory for Chelsea by 0-1. That is, of the last eight games that Atlético has not played in the Wanda Metropolitano has won one (Villarreal), tied three (Levante, Getafe and Betis) and lost four (Chelsea twice, Sevilla and Athletic). A crisis of results that have squandered all the advantage that he had achieved with his spectacular start to the championship.

And now, Atlético is in the middle of the start marathon. After playing in San Mamés, He has to visit Elche and Barcelona before returning to his stadium, where he will receive Real Sociedad and Osasuna. Finally, he will visit Valladolid on the last day of the championship. In recent weeks the Camp Nou match has been marked in red as the final one for the aspirations of the two teams in the fight for the championship. But, seen what has been seen, taking away the slightest bit of attention from a visit to Elche can be deadly. Atlético could lose first place on Thursday, since if Barcelona beat Granada their pending match will be ahead with a point advantage.

Of course, the rojiblancos depend on themselves: if they win the five remaining games as they did in the first round, they will be champions. Although the sensations are very different. What is undoubted is that he will have to improve his performance and change the intensity and vitality at the entrance to the matches if he wants to add three as a visitor again and intends have a chance of winning at the Camp Nou 15 years after the last time.