Atlético Madrid. Result, outcomes and goals

When Luis Rioja hits an impressive volley in added time, Atlético already assumed that nothing good would come of Mendizorroza.. Carlos Vicente reached the baseline and placed the ball on the left foot of his teammate, who hit it with his soul and scored Alaves’ second goal. A miracle of aesthetics and precision that took Atlético even further down.

Simeone’s team never recovered from the defeat in Dortmund nor his European elimination. The team, depersonalized from the unrepresentative green uniform they took to the field in. Inaccurate in passing, he stupidly dominated the game and gave it away for the first time in that habit that is sometimes restored after you throw away time as if it were a thing of the past. But he has neither time nor points.

In Mendizorroz, he missed the opportunity to secure some more Champions League places, which Athletic are discussing, with whom he faces next week. The heads of the Atlético players entered the game only some time after it began.

Only the football players were physically present. when Benavidez scored in the first quarter of an hour of play. Shot from outside the penalty area into the corner of Oblak’s goal. Precise, unattainable.

Benavidez found a way to score and lead his team to victory in a match that was something big for some of the Alaves players. It could have been Samu, the striker on loan from Atlético, but he saw it from the bench. In his place in the field was Giuliano, surname Simeone. The youngest of Cholo’s eldest children. An injury in the first pre-season game led to Samu coming in to replace him at Alaves. It was his first start, and he did not notice that his father was sitting on the opponents’ bench.

Giuliano could have scored the second goal, who worked hard throughout the game. He was one of the most dangerous players in his team until he was substituted in the second half. Kike could have scored too, but Alaves had to wait for the Rioja volley.

Alaves worked from top to bottom. Because when Atlético wanted to go to the game, Sivera was there to stop it. The Alaves goalkeeper saved Lino’s shot on the goal line. And another attempt by Correa. The goalkeeper who benched Unai Simon during Spain’s last European Under-21 Championship campaign was always alert and agile.

When Simeone, the father, went to look for solutions on the bench There were no goals from either Mora or Memphis. And Abde took his place, a young player who only had ten minutes to try. Nothing changed. Atlético is blocked. No answers. And he is incapable of recovering from blows like that Benavidez goal after a quarter of an hour. The Uruguayan made his debut as captain for Alaves, scoring his second goal of the season.

There are still six games left until the end of the season. Six opportunities for Atlético to meet the season’s minimum requirement of qualifying for the Champions League. A goal that has been achieved since Cholo has been on the bench. But this Atlético is different.