The Athletic regained its strength back in La Cerámica. And he did it suffering, showing the nervousness that entailed eight matches in a row fitting for a team so used to being a safe back. But finally, with a great Oblak and impeccable Felipe and Savic in the center of defense, the rojiblanco team managed to plug the bleeding.
And that Villarreal is one of the teams that generates the most football in the final meters, with Gerard Moreno always active and a colossal Chukwueze from the right wing of the yellow submarine. If in the last few matches the rival's few opportunities were penalizing themselves in goal, in La Cerámica the situation was reversed. Baena had the two clearest chances for the locals with two tremendous shots, but the first crashed into the crosshead and the second was saved by Oblak with a stoppage after the ball had changed the trajectory after touching Savic. Gerard Moreno was also close to scoring, but Oblak's figure became gigantic again, with the collaboration of Koke to get the ball on the line. And even in a play invalidated by the shot with the forward's hand, the rojiblanco goalkeeper took the ball out, who made six stops.
During the last minutes, Atlético took refuge in their area to reduce the spaces for Villarreal and try to cut the game between the lines. The need to not fit in generated that they only sought to clear the ball without regard, allowing local attempts again and again with the sole mission of recovering such a necessary facet. And is that the mattress team did not leave the door to zero since January 12 in the game against Sevilla (2-0), the last in which Simeone could count on Trippier. The English, sanctioned, He has missed the next nine games, but is available again for Cholo in the face of the derby against Real Madrid. Cádiz, Celta and Levante twice and Eibar, Valencia, Granada, Levante and Chelsea with one goal per game had managed to pierce the rojiblanca goal in the previous eight games, until it was possible to put the fence against Villarreal again.
The Atleti had only fit six goals in his first 16 league appearances, for 10 in the next seven. And that is impermissible for the Cholo. Despite the fact that this year a more offensive game is being sought and with multiple attacking players, the team has always supported itself from defense and to fight for LaLiga it is a fundamental requirement. Against Villarreal the first stone was laid to recover that armor that is always the goal of Atlético. Savic has had an impeccable season, and against Villarreal he was also decisive in the rival area with the shot that led to the first mattress goal. Felipe is growing up playing last man in the line of three centrals or forming a duo in a line of four, not like when he played outlined to the left where, forced to leave the place, he lost his space and was seen out of place and always resorting to fouls to stop the rival.
Beautiful suffers more on the side, but It allows Simeone to vary his tactical system behind between the three centrals and the return to a classic four defense. And Trippier is the great asset to recover the power that the team had in the right lane until its loss. What's more, Carrasco and Giménez are closer to returning. Atlético recovered a key facet of their game, where in the last few days they were almost always forced to try to come back after starting below the scoreboard. Now, Oblak will try to raise the fortress permanently, and next week he has a litmus test, with the great objective of repeating the lock against Real Madrid.