Elche 0-Atletico Madrid 2 | Another year to the Champions

When González Fuerte took the whistle to his mouth to play at the end, Simeone put his hand in his pocket. There where he had the calculator. You won’t have to use it again. Not this season anymore. Atleti is from the Champions League. Closed objective, as always in his ten years, the extraordinary made routine. He won 0-2, he did it. But in Elche no one felt like a loser. Quite the contrary.

An Elche that, from the beginning, gave up its defense of three to order itself with four. A mirror against Cholo, in a 4-4-2. With Reinildo. That he had arrived, that he was there, with his boots like bricks laying the foundations of the wall before Oblak. Atleti wore red, a traditional shield, it had to be the day. Vrsaljko could hardly show it off: in Elche’s first corner, with a dangerous shot from Milla’s chest, he finished the ground, hands behind. Lodi took his place, as if Wass, for Cholo, had never arrived. His men were already ordered with three centrals. The Champions League was sewn to a De Paul ball that Lodi spoiled before Edgar, by cutting and not shooting.

The match was a give-and-take, with no clear dominator. The two teams with their calculator making numbers on the boots. Those of Francisco for saving themselves, already, needed a point. Those of Cholo, for that square Champions in the accounts with three. But Oblak came out of his goal with a megaphone in his mouth to Reinildo’s ear: Boyé had just finished off just one corner. But Bigas headed another ball just wide. But Elche won on points, on every stopped ball. Atleti getting into one of those first parts of this season. very open. no domain. With the ball flying over their midfielders like an unidentified flying object: they always saw it from afar. Until Griezmann took a step back, to cement that middle line in need of men. The ball was once again a friend. And it didn’t take long for Cunha to take him to the back of the net. Cunhaism is one of the few good things that have really happened to Atleti in this 21-22.

It bites he raised his head and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lodi’s run on the opposite wing. Plac. There he sent the ball, so that the Brazilian who had been a substitute at the beginning and now he was no longer a dagger on the left, control on a blade and center low with an intention: Cunha. He this one launched to kick that ball before Edgar knowing how much it was worth. 70 million. But only on the net. He there he sent her. Simeone put his hand in his pocket for the first time with a half smile. And that release over his head. 0-1. The Mathematical Champions. After so much suffering, after having seen her for the first time in ten years, so difficult, far away.

The goal freed the rojiblancos who arrived at the break touching and playing with speed. And scratching the back of the Elche defense.

An Elche with certified salvation at rest

When the game returned, Francisco could also put his calculator in the bottom of his pocket. The leading score at the Martínez Valero was Pizjuán’s 0-0, Sevilla’s against Mallorca. They were First. Whatever happens against Atleti will happen. The public received theirs with a standing ovation. Cunhaism turned it off as soon as soccer returned, in another almost traced connection with Lodi. This time he bumped into Bigas’s head on his flight to the net. After the scare, the stands to theirs: wave by wave between oles and oles. Atleti, by the way, was not only qualified for the Champions League, it was also looking at Sevilla through the rear-view mirror. Third.

The party was immersed in the air of fulfilled objectives until It bites he rubbed his boot again and put a ball at De Paul’s feet. Goal. That It bites in Prime mode. With his haircut, his influence on the game as a midfielder, his smile on the air. He just missed the goal. The one that Correa grazed at the end with a stick. But it will come. In the two remaining league games. Or in the next Champions. That which Cholo’s calculator shouted in capital letters. No need to leave your pocket.