Unknown
Who tried it knows. Sunday’s is not the first lap of honor of the Atlético footballers to the Metropolitano after a victory. Against Alavés, for example, it also happened. And in several other games of this irregular season of those of Cholo. On Sunday the footballers did so with their nerves relaxed, with a liberating sigh in their gestures, embracing Carrasco’s goal. The Champions League, your classification, there, in your hand, after having been on the wire all season. A 21-22 that was made under a different objective, to become champion again, but which the irregularity soon condemned. Even Oblak has seemed human. An Oblak who a year later returns to the goal where he felt like a Buendía from García Márquez’s novel: on the firing squad.
Because Atlético traveled, the same, to Elche, with the leadership of last LaLiga at stake. And in 91′ he had Fidel on point, with his leg loaded about to shoot a penalty. The goal was the tie. The goal was to lose that head in the tournament. But Fidel’s shot went to the post. Oblak took a breath. Atlético would end up winning LaLiga. Elche would be the team that, by the way, would make a corridor for the champion 20-21at the Wanda Metropolitano, matchday 2, after Celta in Balaídos, in matchday 1, no.
A year later has nothing to do. Atleti does not travel to be champion but to finish embracing that classification to the Champions League, which will be mathematical if it adds the three points (follow the match live on As.com). Three and that’s it. Without having to look at others. The insured future, the 70 million respite, at least, granted by being and being. Simeone loses Llorente (sanction) and recovers Hermoso.
Elche, meanwhile, is also different. Life is not played. This has already been assured: at the break it could even be saved if there are a series of results and Sevilla beat Mallorca. What the team is looking for, however, is not that, it is to win it on the field, with a victory to celebrate with its fans, at the Martínez Valero, against Atlético. Those three points that also fit the math.
Francisco recovers Mojica and Boyé after his muscular discomfort. The two, in the eye of Cholo, want to show off in an Elche who is very comfortable with five men on defense. Those three centrals have given life to Francisco, architect of the franjiverde almost salvation. He wants to renew and the club to renew him. Showing off against Atlético would speed up the process. He already showed off against other greats (Barça, Madrid, Seville). Although today Atleti plays more than one game. Play a final for 70 million. The foundation of everything.
Forward Griezmann-Cunha
One of the great tasks that Cholo has for the three remaining League games, in addition to qualifying for the Champions League, which with a victory today would be mathematical, is to recover his Griezmann in the goal. In the rest it is still the same as always, only that is missing. For this reason, in Elche he meditates aligning him from the start with Cunha at the point of attack. Koke and a Kondogbia who was huge against Madrid repeat. De Paul could come in for Llorente as the coach tested yesterday, in the last session before traveling. Reinildo left the derby touched but could play tonight. If not, the chosen one in the line of three centrals of Cholo would be Hermoso.