Atlético more ‘cholista’ reconciles with victory

Atlético de Madrid was reunited with the victory this Saturday thanks to a pyrrhic victory against Granada (1-0) with a goal by Ángel Correa five minutes from the start, but the pupils of the 'Cholo' Simeone did not convince a Wanda Metropolitan who ended up suffering the chances of the brand new Copa semifinalist.

The mattress set was more 'cholista' than ever in a game where Granada deserved better luck in the final stretch. Atleti wasted all his chances in the first part and was very conformist in the second. Simeone himself did not know how to give air to his players in the most delicate moments of the match.

The casualties remain the main handicap of this Atlético that showed its two faces: that of the collective effort, which taught it in the first part, and that of suffering with the adjusted score. His rival was gaining meters and found good chances that he had to stop Oblak. The clearest, one of Soldier 20 minutes to go.

The film began well for the people of Madrid thanks to an error by Eteki and Foulquier, who collided with each other and gave Koke wings to enable Correa before Aaron. The Argentine – who achieved his fourth goal in the League – has scored the last three goals of the Atleti and returned to be fundamental in the offensive harvest.

The goal at six minutes seemed to open a different game, more comfortable than on other occasions, especially at the insistence of Vitolo. The canary was the best creating problems for the Nazari team with a ball to the post and another play that ended in goal but was canceled out of play. The definition had been perfect, but the VAR evidenced the advanced position of the Las Palmas player.

Suffering in the second part

In the second part, Atlético de Madrid was not able to sentence the game and gave life to Granada. Those of Diego Martínez, who add eight consecutive losses away from Los Cármenes, were not far from changing the statistics, but first Oblak and then the bad aim of their strikers, deprived the Andalusians of opting for at least a draw.

Vadillo was the one who tried for the first time with a foul from the front and Azeez pardoned in the heart of the area ten minutes after the restart. Saul replied with a powerful volley to a Correa squad, but it was Soldier who had the clearest opportunity with a foreshortening that forced the stretcher of the mattress goalkeeper.

From there, with the pitos of many sectors in the Wanda, the Athletic one was closing and it only breathed with the entrance of Carrasco. Some against the Belgian allowed to break the dominance of Granada, which ended the game by locking Atleti in his area with a header from Víctor Díaz. Simeone's team regains its 'Champions' position while waiting for the result of Sevilla, while Granada looks at the Cup semifinals next week.

DATA SHEET

ATHLETIC OF MADRID: Oblak; Vrsaljko, Savic, Hermoso, Lodi (Carrasco, min. 59); Llorente, Thomas, Koke (Lemar, min, 87), Saul; Vitolo (Toni Moya, min. 87) and Correa.

GRANADA: Aaron; Foulquier, Martínez (Carlos Fernández, min. 75), Duarte, Víctor Díaz; Ismail, Azeez, Eteki, Yangel Herrera (Gil Dias, min. 59); Vadillo (Doors, min. 59) and Soldier.

–GOAL:

1 – 0, min. 6, Strap.

–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano). He admonished Herrera (min. 26), Soldier (min. 27), Foulquier (min. 36), Duarte (min. 84) and Ismail (min. 90) in Granada; and to Koke (min. 28), Thomas (min. 68), Vrsaljko (min. 69) and Vitolo (min. 86) in Atlético.

–STADIUM: Wanda Metropolitano. 54,113 spectators.