- Those of Simeone link their fourth consecutive game without winning
Atlético de Madrid has not passed the draw against CD Leganés this Sunday in the Wanda Metropolitano (0-0), evidencing its crisis of results in its fourth consecutive game without winning, in a match in which those of Simeone took to react before a cucumber set that was not daunted in the red and white coliseum.
The defeat in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, the league stumble against Eibar (2-0) and the very hard elimination against Cultural Leonesa have weighed in the spirits of the 'Cholo' Simeone, who when they woke up from their lethargy before him until today LaLiga colista was already too much part.
Those of Javier Aguirre offered intensity, bravery and impudence to take the prize of leaving the 'red lantern', now in the hands of Espanyol with their same 15 points. Meanwhile, Atlético is left with 36 units in fourth place, which could be lost depending on the Getafe result.
On a day when the fog that flooded the Metropolitan gradually dissipated, the great mystery was resolved as soon as the meeting began. The fans 'forgave' the Cup debacle and received the team with applause and chanting the name of their coach. What happened in the Kingdom of León was forgotten for the moment.
But without a doubt, the surprise of the day had a name and surname: Sime Vrsaljko. The physical problems of Santiago Arias and the fact that Kieran Trippier is not yet recovered led the 'Cholo' to bet on the Croatian, who 20 months later returned to dress rojiblanco after overcoming a serious knee injury and after his assignment in the Inter.
In spite of the novelties, the rojiblanco picture returned to look thick, without ideas in attack, something of which it has suffered in the last times. He only reacted after a few first notices from the visiting team, which tested Oblak twice before the quarter hour.
First it was Kevin Rodrigues, recovered from a head crash in a jump with Vrsaljko a few minutes earlier, who tested the Slovenian goalkeeper with a low shot that he broke with a saving hand. Only three minutes later, the mattress goalkeeper avoided Braithwaite's goal with his left foot.
Before a well-planted Leganés in defense, it took 23 minutes for Simeone to shoot for the first time on goal, in an action in which Ángel Correa picked up a good Lodi center to finish off the crossbar. Thus, they were entrusted to the counterattack to try to surprise; in one of them, in 36, Morata yielded to the Argentine, who returned it to the second post so that the Madrid striker himself put together a volley that Cuellar cleared.
Without goals and with a shameful end
The development of the game did not convince the 'Cholo', who moved the bench to enter Vitolo by Marcos Llorente after intermission. The canary, in fact, had the first clear chance of the resumption, but it was not understood with Correa when both were planted before the cucumber goal.
Nerves began to feel in the stands of the Metropolitan Wanda, which sighed relieved when Javier Aguirre's were about to advance in a rebound hunted by Recio on the front; Savic deflected the corner kick from the Málaga midfielder.
Against prognosis, it was the colista of LaLiga Santander that more and better reached the rival area, and his confidence was increasing by the passing of the minutes. With the entry of Guido Carrillo, Aguirre showed the cards in search of giving the bell.
Atlético only tuned in the last quarter of an hour. He began to arrive with more danger, and even claimed two possible penalties on Vitolo and Felipe that Mateu Lahoz did not perceive. A deflected foul kick by Saul and a header up from Saponjic sealed a final starring the surprising expulsion of the 'Pichu' Cuellar, who saw the second yellow for wasting time in 93 and forced Jonathan Silva to play under the last sticks minutes
The expulsion of the goalkeeper fueled the tension of the duel, which exploded when he tipped a 'colleja' to Morata after an exchange of words, and even the 'Cholo' jumped into the field in shameful last minutes that ended the 'Pichu' in the ground after a push from Saponjic. The marker, however, no longer moved.
DATA SHEET
ATHLETIC OF MADRID: Oblak; Vrsaljko (Saponjic, min. 88), Felipe, Savic, Lodi; Correa (Herrera, min. 62), Llorente (Vitolo, min. 46), Thomas, Saul; João Felix and Morata.
LEGANESE CD: Cuéllar; Rosales, Bustinza, Awaziem, Omeruo, Jonathan Silva; Recio, Eraso (Aitor, min. 61), Rodrigues (Carrillo, min. 78); Roque Mesa and Braithwaite (Óscar Rodríguez, min. 89).
– ARBITRATOR: Mateu Lahoz (C. Valencian). He admonished Awaziem (min.11) and Eraso (min.55), Roque Mesa (min.89) and Recio (min.92) by Leganés and Savic (min.96) by Atlético. He sent a double yellow to Cuéllar (min. 76 and 93).
– STADIUM: Wanda Metropolitano. 52,767 spectators.