Fidel, Oblak and a penalty that could cost the league title

Atlético receives Elche still with the scare in the body remembering the last time they saw each other. It was on May 1, at the Martínez Valero and with five days to go before the final of the League. The rojiblanco team had started their away marathon on the wrong foot, with three consecutive starts and a defeat at San Mamés before playing at the Elche field and later at the Camp Nou in a duel marked in red as fundamental for the title.

The advantage with the pursuers had been cut and Atlético appeared in Elche with 73 points, two above Real Madrid and Barcelona, so any puncture could lead to the loss of the leadership. Simeone's team started sending, generating many occasions, Suárez had two heads up and Llorente put the rojiblanco team ahead in the 23rd minute. A great first part of Atlético with little prize, as Escribá himself, Elche coach, would recognize at the end of the match.

However, the tension and fear of losing that advantage goal was gripping the colchoneros, in a second half with little to rescue … until the last minute of meeting. A center from the left wing became a dangerous foul against after the referee a non-existent hand from Trippier was decreed (the ball hit him in the stomach), but being out of the area, the VAR had nothing to do. And on the serve, a detached arm from Llorente turned into a dramatic penalty. Elche knew that scoring would bring them even closer to salvation and Atlético that a goal cost them first place with four games to go.

The rojiblanca fans prayed, welcomed to the memory of Oblak saving Joselu's penalty in extremis against Alavés and Fidel prepared to try to score with his left foot … but crashed with the stick. lucky for the Slovenian goalkeeper, that if he had intervened in the play it would have been repeated after getting ahead of the goal line. The ball hit the wood and Atlético saved three agonizing points. What would come next is the history of the club. A goalless draw at the Camp Nou and three wins in the last three games, with comebacks against Osasuna and Valladolid, to end up lifting the title in Zorrilla. Elche did not need that point to save themselves and both teams will face each other again with the memory of a penalty that could turn the competition upside down.