Atlético heals his wounds in Cádiz

Back in the domestic tournament, Atlético healed the wounds of the Champions League with a victory that allows them to follow in the wake of the head of the League and fight for their second consecutive title. The team was not up to the task in the first half, but after the break he imposed his superiority led by the Belgian Carrasco and french Lemar, the best of the afternoon by far.

The final result in Cádiz, despite its forcefulness, however does not allow Atlético to free itself from a stigma that has haunted it for almost seven months. Since May 8, when he drew 0-0 at the Camp Nou, fails to keep a clean sheet in an away game. Today it seemed that it could end that bad streak, but this is not the season of cloud, who at 86 minutes was not hitting a cross from Lozano that ended up sneaking into his goal.

Of course, despite the fact that the scoreboard seems to indicate the opposite, the truth is that Atlético had to row against the current to reach a good port because their first half was terrible. In the first play of the game Cádiz could already make barracks. Lozano left in evidence Gimenez with a steal of the ball that allowed the Honduran to step on the area and give a goal pass that Llorente avoided in extremis by playing the type. It was a warning of Cádiz’s intentions, a jet of courage that left Atlético confused. Lemar took the lead in filtering a couple of interesting passes shortly after, but it was just a drop of water in a new ocean of mediocrity.

The rojiblanca first part at the Nuevo Mirandilla was a new version of his most recurring nightmares. A flat team, without ideas, horizontal and not very ambitious went through the field without a single shot between the three suits and with no other occasion than a high shot of Luis Suarez that probably would have nullified the VAR for offside. A shadow of the team that last year, in this same scenario, had already scored two goals before half-time, and that also had to make use of the changes ahead of schedule because Gimenez He went to the bench, dizzy after receiving a slap in the area. At 33 minutes he was replaced by the Brazilian Felipe.

In its sterility it is also true that the usual suspect went back to his business. The history of Gil Manzano It shows that he does not hesitate for a second to expel Atlético de Madrid players. Joao was the last to suffer its rigor a couple of months ago, but it has even shown them red cards in the dressing room, as it happened with Gabi in a Cup match against Barcelona. However, it seems that this criterion does not apply the same when it is the opposing team. At 24 minutes he showed the yellow card to Alex Fernandez, but at 37 he forgave him the second when he tripped Carrasco. The rojiblancos players surrounded him and put their hands to their heads, but it did not help. The Cholo he just smiled, but not a single member of the athletic expedition had the slightest doubt that if the move had been the other way around, the team would have been left with ten footballers.

The second part started with a storm in the areas. First in a shot of Cala who was about to hunt Lozano at the far post, then a header from Savic after a corner kick that finally forced Ledesma. Shortly after, Cala appeared alone in the area after another corner, but did not hit the goal with everything in his favor.

Aware of how difficult it is to create chances like this for a rival like Atlético, Alvaro he angrily hit the bench because he knew what that mistake meant. He was not wrong. Only a minute later Carrasco took a ball on the left, sent it warm to the far post and there Lemar’s head emerged to score his third goal of the season. Simeone Then he unloaded all the stress accumulated after a very difficult week and sank into his seat, puffing.

For Cholo it was a necessary moment of relief, but the calm lasted only a second because there was still a lot of game ahead and it would not take long for him to suffer shocks again. At 63 minutes, Atlético launched a counterattack of three against one that yes or yes it should have ended in a goal, but in the final shot Lemar threw the doll and Ledesma avoided the 0-2.

Recalling recent examples such as those of Levante or Valencia, Simeone was faced with the ghosts of his recent past, but luckily this time they immediately dissipated because Lemar intervened again, now to combine with Llorente so that the Madrid native could serve the area, where Luis Suárez let the ball pass so that Griezmann He finishes off with the right away from Ledesma’s reach.

With the game resolved, there was even room for the team to showcase its talent. At 76 minutes the four attacking players showed their fantasy with a play at the first touch that resolved Correa and at 86, immediately after Lozano’s goal, the Brazilian Mattheus Cunha resolved a great pass from Griezmann. It is the first time this season that Atlético has scored four goals. It is undoubtedly the best therapy to recover from the 0-1 against Milan, but strong dishes immediately follow that will really give the authentic dimension of the team.