Tireless, intense and offensive, he Atlético de Madrid He never stopped until he felt the victory against him was his. Sevillaknocked down in the second half by a penalty converted by Julián Alvarez, sentenced with 2-0 by Thiago Almada, thanks to Giuliano Simeone, and thrashed by 3-0 by Antoine Griezmann, to insist on the fight for LaLiga.
The third consecutive victory in the Atlético championshipall three with a clean sheet; Sevilla's third consecutive defeatwho have not scored again since they overwhelmed Barcelona; and the obvious difference between the two teams and two different 'competitions': Simeone's team is still fighting for LaLiga, waiting for other people's setbacks; Matías Almeyda's team, for not suffering, facing its worst streak of the course, just after its highest high.
The pressure from Sevilla conditioned Simeone's plan, which was rectified in time. Such an idea, so emphasized by the coach in the day before and in preparation, initially made the team predictable. So obsessed and rigorous with a way of acting, pre-designed on the board by that quality of the group led by Matías Almeyda, Atlético was predictable for a long time.
In this football, with everything so studied, detailed and pre-established in each set, every fissure is explored by each coach. But, also, the surprise, imagination, ingenuity, individuality or unexpected association of a few players seem essential. Obstinate in the long pass to Sorloth (also due to Nico González's sporadic breaks)Atlético was suffocated at first by Sevilla.
Julian, unnoticed
Every shot by Giménez or Hancko from the center of the defense (Le Normand rotated to start after playing everything as a starter) towards the 195 centimeters of the Norwegian, so centered, easy to defend for any center back at this level, It represented an inappropriate dynamic until the half hour mark, even though it was superior on the ground: He was also better in the second play to appropriate the rhythmof the game and of the occasions.
It is true that at the cost of the limited interventions of Julian Alvareztheir best offensive footballer, almost unnoticed throughout the first act. As true as they had everything under control in their defense: Sevilla barely got close to Oblak beyond their initial monopoly on the ball, a half-shot by Isaac and a maneuver by Vargas on the brink of half-time.
Atlético had many more chances on that route. As soon as he left such a marked line, he gave more variety from Baena and his infinite vision. The first three opportunities came from him. It is the team's leap for this season. An evidently differential footballer, wherever he plays, this Saturday alongside Koke.
More elastic
His was the set piece shot finished off by Giménez, in the 8th minute; also the pass to Sorloth, who was denied 1-0 by Vlachodimos at half an hour, or the cross that led to Nico González's shot on the post already in the 37th minute, after the Norwegian striker's chest cushioned it. Moments before, a bad cross from Ruggeri also came close to scoring.
Atlético went even further before the break, this time with a play drawn from the original plan, with the long ball that Sorloth combed to the breaking race behind Nico's back. The Argentine's volley, tilted, crossed, was repelled by Odysseas Vlachodimos, already at that time the only argument to maintain the 0-0. Afterwards, Nico claimed a penalty.
It was already another Atlético, richer and more elastic for a long time, as it continued later, in the one on one that Sevilla and Almeyda proposed in each sector of the tactical game. Baena, for example, suffered with Sow, who harassed him at every control.
Penalty with VAR
Julián did not reach a center to push it from Sorloth, insistent, like his entire team, who increased the offensive. Sevilla prepared for resistancealready due to the eight corners against at the hour mark, on the verge of defeat, consummated from a hubbub and an obvious and reckless penalty from Nianzou to Giménez revealed by the VAR. The monitor showed it, the referee pointed it out and Julián Alvarez transformed it. It was the 64th minute.
And a deserved victory, which began much earlier, but which still admitted doubts. Due to the change in behavior of Sevilla, but also of Atlético, within that dynamic that emerges with a minimal advantage, in games like this, in which suddenly, after a goal, there is a tendency, this time sporadic: eThe red and white team gives ground, its rival grows in attack and Oblak appears, who also contributed to the victorywhen he reached out to frustrate Gudelj.
Just before 2-0. Giuliano invented it, quick in the recovery, dizzying in the run and accurate in the back pass that culminated Thiago Almada. Like the 1-0 against Osasuna just two weeks ago in the same Metropolitano. It is a strength. Already on the verge of the 90th minute, Griezmann scored 3-0.
