Atlético faces a long period without Kieran Trippier. The Englishman, sanctioned until the end of February for a gambling case, he was living his best moment as a rojiblanco: deep, reaching the baseline, found with Llorente a seam on the right side and safe behind with the presence of Savic as a squire. With the three-center line he had found the best Trippier, much more comfortable as a lane.
After receiving the sanction from the English Federation, Atlético went to FIFA, which initially gave them the precautionary statement (something that allowed them to play against Sevilla) and after withdrawing it CAS mediation was attempted, which also did not take the rojiblanco side. Meanwhile, Simeone has had to recover from the loss of a player who had played every minute in the League until the moment of the sanction and who, with five goal passes, is the team's top assistant with Correa, João Felix and Marcos Llorente.
With Vrsaljko as the only natural substitute, Cholo has been pulling the Croatian, who had not played for 10 months after having had problems in his operated knee. Withdrawal from Anfield until the Copa del Rey match against Cardassar, where he returned with a goal, for a player who still has to recover sensations and rhythm. But for Atlético, leader of LaLiga and for whom each game is a final, Trippier's loss was getting very painful. Until Simeone took another ace up his sleeve against Valencia.
Vrsaljko had seen the yellow one in the first half, was suffering in the favorite band of the che team to attack and Carrasco was stuck on the left wing with Correira blocking him. Cholo chose to turn it around at halftime: Lodi by Vrsaljko to play in the left lane and Carrasco moving to the right. If the Belgian has always stood out more with a changed leg due to his ability to shape himself inwards, against Valencia he gave a natural band display. The Atlético that left the dressing room was another and to a large extent it was for the role of '21'.
Maintaining that iron discipline from which he has returned from China, Carrasco was a headache for Valencia from that right side. Very intelligent interior balls for Suárez and João Félix, overflowing, ability to undress the defense due to their individual quality until looking for the shot and constant increases by the band. If the Belgian was in an unnatural position and side, it was not noticed. Savic covered his back to avoid suffering in defense and in attack he was still a dagger. Thus the third goal was forged, with a fantastic Carrasco sending into space for Llorente's career, who gave the ball back to Correa. The play that had promoted so much the '14' with Trippier thrown with mastery. The Argentine had come out to reinforce the side with his work capacity.
An experiment that Simeone succeeded perfectly and that it may have continuity in the future. Carrasco added a lot to a band that has become very important for Atlético. He got on with his fellow attackers and left space on the left for a Lodi who also added in the minutes he was on the pitch. El Cholo has a new candidate to cover Trippier's huge loss, and that is that Carrasco has become the Argentine's wild card.