If Simeone set out to be uncomfortable for the Madrid-Barça duopoly when , Bordalás came to elite football and Getafe to make any team that crosses his path uncomfortable. This was confirmed by Simeone’s players, who won with an own goal from Duarte. A magnificent David Soria, three prodigious interventions, could only be beaten by his central defender. The goal was sold dearly, which was what Getafe was looking for.
0
David Soria, Diego Rico, Domingos Duarte, Abdel Abqar (Kiko Femenía, min. 76), Juan Iglesias (Juanmi, min. 86), Mario Martín (Alex Sancris, min. 85), Adrián Liso (Coba da Costa, min. 75), Luis Milla (Javi Muñoz, min. 89), Djené Dakonam, Mauro Arambarri and Borja Mayoral
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Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, José María Giménez, Clément Lenglet, Matteo Ruggeri (Conor Gallagher, min. 68), Pablo Barrios, Nico González (Dávid Hancko, min. 68), Koke (Alexander Sørloth, min. 58), Álex Baena, Marcos Llorente (Antoine Griezmann, min. 13) and Julián Alvarez (Giacomo Scraper, min. 58)
Goals
0-1 min. 81: Domingos Duarte
Referee Guillermo Cuadra Fernandez
yellow cards
Abdel Abqar (min. 39), Julián Álvarez (min. 48), Giménez (min. 56), Mario Martín (min. 78), Simeone (min. 80), Juan Musso (min. 90)
Atlético showed up for the rough game that they were going to risk, with Atlético’s powerful right wing being reduced to Llorente. Behind him is Nahuel Molina, who is still looking to find a decent version of the footballer who was crowned world champion. Cholo’s novelty was to list Barrios on the right and join Koke and Nico González on the left ahead of the meritorious Ruggeri.
A plan to which Bordalás opposed reinforced concrete. Djené as midfielder forming a cement triangle with the complete Milla and the machacón Arambarri. That shortlist was backed by two sober and aggressive center backs in anticipation like Abqar and Duarte. Five footballers who made Atlético see that Getafe was well sealed inside. The initial back and forth lasted a sigh. A commotion in the Atlético area and a couple of transitions that led to a couple of corner kicks for the rojiblancos. In the second, a short play against Koke gave them the only clear chance in the entire first half. The closed and tempered thread of the mattress captain was burst headfirst by Nico González. David Soria showed off his reflexes to handle the hammer blow. Another soft-necked header from Baena to a good cross from Ruggeri was Atlético’s last sign of danger in the first half. To make matters worse, Simeone’s right wing ended up being dismantled with Llorente’s muscle injury.
The recomposition put Griezmann on the field as a companion to a gray Julián Alvarez, Barrios to escort Koke and Nico González on the left. It didn’t work. Getafe was rocky with those five players who blocked any attempt by Atlético to open a loophole in the central corridors. He could barely stretch, but he imposed that thorny game that he intended with the Intensity that all his players applied in each defensive action. The Bordalás players were wolves to cover spaces and not let the Baena, Julián, Barrios, Koke and Griezmann think or turn around. And when they couldn’t, there were tactical fouls from the script in a barrage to cut off the game and rhythm. They attacked little, because Atlético also anchored themselves well and won the disputes on their own field. Only one of those bananas that Juan Iglesias draws so well that was headed into the middle by Borja Mayoral reminded that Musso was replacing Oblak.
The first act died with that game without concessions of any kind. With Getafe the winner for imposing the rough and long match they intended. The Bordalás team also won by lungs and revolutions in the restart. Simeone detected it, setting up Koke and Julián Alvarez to introduce aerial play with Sorloth and mischief with Raspadori, chosen to be the new Correa when there are no spaces or clear solutions. These changes, plus the subsequent entries of Hancko and Gallagher, returned control of the game to Atlético. Raspadori forced David Soria to make a spectacular save. His left foot shot was low and cornered, to which the blue goalkeeper responded with a quick stretch to dig his ribs into the grass and stretch his right arm to the limit.
It was another Atlético that was looking to resolve before the game entered the last quarter of an hour. Dangerous territory because Getafe could begin to take advantage of Atlético’s nerves and impatience. So he tried, but also at the cost of revealing himself. And in good circulation by the red and whites, he put a cross to Raspadori with the outside that the Italian extended to the middle at the near post. Duarte, who together with Abqar had played an imperial game to the point of driving Julián Alvarez into despair, put the ball into David Soria’s goal. The center back was the only player who was able to surpass his teammate because Baena also ran into the formidable goalkeeper.
It was Atlético’s turn to pass that test of holding the scoreboard in favor, its Achilles heel this season. He achieved it, but he almost didn’t make it happen. Arambarri hooked a scissors that fell plumb on Musso’s crossbar, which allowed Simeone’s men to add their second victory as visitors and continue to stalk the lead.
