Atlético was proclaimed champion of its eleventh league title on Saturday, with a match, in Valladolid, full of little stories that AS photojournalist Jesús Álvarez Orihuela portrayed with his camera and that they tell about everything that was not seen of that decisive match for the achievement of LaLiga rojiblanca. Stories ranging from Vrsaljko's obedience, the fundamental role of Fernando, one of Cholo's utilleros, Hernán Bonvicini's mobile, to the Operation Escape of Trippier after the row, or not, of Simeone. Come and see.
Henán Bonvicini and Nelson's earpiece
Simeone is a coach who has everything under control. In Valladolid it was not going to be less. The game that decided the title, the final of the finals. Beside him, on the bench, his second, Nelson Vivas, with a earpiece in his right ear connected to the telephone of a man in the heights. It is Hernán Bonvicini, third assistant of the Argentine coach. From the top, with a perspective to see the movements of the footballers, he was writing down every tiny detail on his tablet and, every time he saw something, he communicated it. Nelson Vivas transferred it to Cholo's ear, on the bench.
Fernando's essential work
Fernando is one of the utilleros of the Cholo coaching staff … and in Valladolid he had a fundamental task. In one of the plays, the Valladolid ball boys were slow to deliver the ball to Atlético. So much so that one of the rojiblancos footballers had to go for it. It would not happen more. An instant later, Fernando appeared in that area to urge them to return them quickly.. Stadium security immediately reprimanded him. It shouldn't be there. But Fernando is polished in the Cholo method and stoically endured, two, three minutes. In fact, he only moved from his place when the order to leave came from his own bench, which was when he raised his arm, made the 'ok' gesture and returned to the area occupied by the Cholo coaching staff.
The anger, or not, from Cholo to Trippier
The image was produced on the penultimate play of the match. Trippier intercepted a ball and sent it where all those that one does not want to end up in the opponent's boot are sent: kick to the stands, fly away, away, away. Then, Trippier goes to where his coach is, it is not known if he is congratulating him for the action (it seems that he is), or is he abronaching him for it, while Koke yells in his ear, in an indecipherable gesture as well. It seems joy, congratulation or scolding. It seems that Trippier didn't quite know what they were saying either. But the ball did not return to the green. That was what it was all about.
Beautiful took the net … Vrsaljko, no
As soon as the game ended, the rojiblancos celebrated, they were league champions. And some of them wanted something tangible, the kind that tell you a moment just by looking at them, when the moment is gone and only a memory remains. Mario Hermoso had it clear: Zorrilla's goal net. And there he went, cutter, scissors in hand. He cut out a piece and left with it. It was someone else's turn. Because Vrsaljko also wanted to but … But when he was heading towards this one of the women in charge of the security of the field stopped him. No, that could not be done. Yes, Beautiful had done it, but it couldn't be done. And Vrsaljko obediently turned around and went back the way he came.. With the cutter intact. Also without network.
Mimos de Cerezo a Suárez
The game ended and Enrique Cerezo, Atlético president, came down to Zorrilla's lawn to congratulate his players. One of them was Luis Suárez, with whom he was very affectionate. A key man for the achievement of the Atlético league title, 24 hours later he certified at the team's celebration party at the Wanda Metropolitano that his future will continue to be rojiblanco. “Yes, I'm staying. Sure, sure.”
And pampering from Suárez to Hervías
A Luis Suárez who, before, had looked towards that place in the field where all feelings were collapsed, around the Valladolid players who had not only lost that game, but also the category. The Uruguayan came to console Hervías, so did Simeone and other members of the rojiblanco team that, in their joy, they also wanted to give all their encouragement to the Valladolid footballers …
Trippier's escape
… Meanwhile, in another place on the pitch, the focus returned to Trippier, who fled as if he had not finished playing 90 'long minutes, to everything that his legs gave him. He had a reason. Carrasco was after him brandishing a razor and his finger ready, already on the 'on'. The 'The End' of everything in Valladolid-Atlético would come with relief for the English. It did not reach him.