Report: hard-fought win over Villarreal | OneFootball

A tremendous victory for Atleti (2-0), just when we needed it most and in the best possible way, being a team victory and succeeding at key moments in the clash. We were brave in the pressure, we held the advantage when Villarreal pushed the hardest, but when we needed to increase the lead and establish dominance over the game, we achieved it.

Just as we could in previous matches, today we were able to achieve that second goal that gave the team peace of mind. And all this in a game of great pressure for our team, in desperate need of a victory. And considering that we came from an international break, with a heavy load of minutes for many internationals, and just before the first midweek round of Champions (which implies a distribution of minutes).

And perhaps because of these conditions, the starting eleven surprised both insiders and outsiders, with Griezmann and Koke, who have been among the best and enduring the entire match on the pitch. Both very participative and hardworking, in a game of containment of Villarreal's counterattack initiatives.

And precisely that, the pressure to suffocate Villarreal's ball exit, led to not only a first goal in the 8th minute, thanks to a mistake by Cardona, who in a backward pass, is caught by Julian, who sees Barrios, passes it to him with a backheel and the Atleti youth player defines it perfectly, in a goal by Barrios, which in my opinion was the best of the match.

Atleti was very accurate in the first half, but not without shocks, in one goal and the other. To start, the second goal was made to wait, because in the 14th minute and after a virtuous collective play by Atleti, Giuliano failed to hit the target, who was always very combative on the wing, but who was not accurate in this play, facing the goal.

But Villarreal could also score their goal, with Moleiro who stood in front of Oblak, sending the ball to the right of the Slovenian's goal. Although the visitors' great chance and what ended up being decisive for the match, came in the 45th minute, in a foul by Lenglet, on the edge, which Pepe shot very well at the crossbar, saving Atleti from the draw.

The second goal buried Villarreal's chances

In the second half, Julian Álvarez did not start, Sorloth taking his place. A lot of workload with Argentina, a good match that was being shaped, Liverpool on the horizon... Many ideas went through the mind when seeing the spider on the bench.

Villarreal started very combative, trying to trap Atleti, but after six minutes we managed to double the lead and with that, the match was settled, despite being in the 51st minute. A run by Llorente, ended up leading to a curved pass to the far post, with both Sorloth and Nico González in the box. It was the Argentine who was behind the Norwegian who connected with his head, beating the Villarreal goalkeeper who was already halfway out.

Great debut for the Argentine winger, who won the position very well against Mouriño, and not only being accurate in this action, but showing all the good (and very good) that he can give to this team, handling himself on the left wing, orphaned today of Almada, Baena, etc.

In short, the second goal was like stopping the mutiny that Villarreal was trying to stir up to prevent Atleti's victory. And the gap could have been bigger if Lenglet's header had not been disallowed in the 70th minute, due to a push before the jump and his shot on goal.

In short, the best thing is the three points. Also very good the game, considering the absences that the team had and the heavy workload and minutes of the internationals. But the worst are the discomforts and blows that Julian, Hancko (who could barely be on the pitch for five minutes) and Le Normand.

Now it is important that these discomforts, remain just discomforts, as there are already enough absences to face the following duels, which continue to be fundamental for our BELOVED ATLETI.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.