Atlético de Madrid does not raise its head against Almería
Those of ‘Cholo’ Simeone tie and leave doubts in the first game without Joao Félix
MADRID, 15 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid could not recover from the blow of the defeat against Barça at the Metropolitano after drawing (1-1) this Sunday against Almería on matchday 17 of LaLiga Santander, after an even match that began with Correa’s goal , but that the Andalusian team equalized through El Bilal before the break.
With the media attention focused on the departure of the Portuguese striker Joao Félix to the English Chelsea and pending the possible arrival of a striker, the rojiblanco team resumed the domestic competition after the defeat (0-1) against FC Barcelona last Sunday. A tie that momentarily returns them to Champions League positions, but that did not serve to clear up doubts.
And it is that Diego Pablo Simeone’s men have only been able to add 5 of the last 18 points at stake, after having won only one of those five commitments -against Elche (2-0)-, some numbers that give them just enough for fourth place (28), seven points behind Real Sociedad, ten behind Real Madrid and 13 behind Barcelona, the latter two with one game less.
At the Power House Stadium, the rojiblanco team did not take long to gain control of the ball to the detriment of an Almería team that preferred to wait withdrawn. Cholo restructured the defense with the entry of Witsel and Hermoso due to the losses of Savic, suspended, and Giménez, injured. In the middle, the youth player Pablo Barrios and Carrasco left their place to Kondogbia and Lemar, while Correa replaced a Joao Félix already in London.
A determined bet that ended up giving results when barely twenty minutes of play had elapsed. The Argentine striker restored Simeone’s trust in him after perfectly completing a pass between the lines from Kondogbia that Griezmann let go. Good minutes from the colchoneros who were even able to sentence soon after but for a good intervention by Fernando on Hermoso’s header.
However, ‘Rubi”s men did not lose face in the game and they knew how to play their cards to return the tables before going to the changing rooms. At 37’ Robertone put a cross with music to the far post where El Bilal appeared to finish off forcefully into the back of the net. An emotional blow for Simeone’s men who ended up paying dearly for his modifications in the scheme, delaying and focusing Lemar’s position.
Thus, after the restart, the Argentine coach turned his eleven around again to bring on Pablo Barrios for captain Koke. With stretches of dominance for both teams, the match did not end until after the hour of play. From then on, Atlético de Madrid took a step forward to threaten an Almería team that had found in Fernando the hero of the afternoon so far.
The goalkeeper brought out his reflexes to keep the tie on the scoreboard. He first saved a double chance from Morata after a counter shot by Llorente, to shortly after return to get Correa a miraculous hand under the sticks. The mattress team tried by all means, but did not raise its head without a goal and the solid local defense ended up decanting a match that came to an end with the expulsion of Reguilón when he was 90.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: ALMERÍA, 1 – ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 1. (1-1, at halftime).
–LINE-UPS.
ALMERIA: Fernando; Well, Ely, Chumi, Akieme; Robertone (Puigmal, min.88), Samú, Melero (Eguaras, min.79); Embarba (Mendes, min.79), Baptistao (Ramazani, min.66) and El Bilal (Luis Suárez, min.66).
ATHLETIC MADRID: Oblak; Nahuel, Witsel, Hermoso, Reinildo (Reguilón, min.67); Koke (Pablo Barrios, min.46), Kondogbia, Llorente (Saúl, min.92), Lemar (Morata, min.68); Griezmann and Correa (Felipe, min.77).
–GOALS.
0-1. Min.18, Correa.
1-1. Min. 40, El Bilal.
–REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez (C. Murciano). He admonished Leo Baptistao (min.17), Robertone (min.67), Mendes (min.86) and Ely (min.93) by Almería, and Kondogbia (min.40), Reguilón (min.85) and Saúl (min.92) by Atlético de Madrid. He sent off Reguilón for a double yellow card.
–STADIUM: Power Horse Stadium. 14,128 viewers.