A good performance from the Argentine world champions so that Atlético de Madrid achieved a key victory in the Spanish league, which is approaching its final stretch. The team of Cholo Simeone had a Rodrigo de Paul who took over the scene, with a Nahuel Molina important in the projections for his band and a Angelito Correa rogue to score on the scoreboard. With that and a Antoine Griezmann Very inspired, the colchoneros stood up before the Girona a match that was complicated for them with the goal of the Ukrainian Artem Dobvyk at 4 minutes. However, with skill, great contribution from the Argentines and the support of their fans at the Cívitas Metropolitano, those from Madrid excelled with a 3-1 victory that consolidates them in the qualification zone for the next Champions League.
An excellent collective action led by Savio – intractable in the first half – ended with a low cross from Couto that Dobvyk connected. Early surprise in the mattress house, which suffered from the good play of Girona. The nervousness transferred to Cholo Simeone, who was later reprimanded for protesting a foul.
With the dominance of De Paul, Aleti began to settle things and reached the tie with a penalty – crude handball by Manuel Gutiérrez after a header from Mario Hermoso – masterfully executed by Griezmann.
And then Correa would appear in action. First, the referee did not buy him a fan, when he dived feigning a foul. Yellow for the Argentine, who minutes later would have his revenge. Morata caught a ball that seemed lost on the left and threw the cross directly to the edge of the six-yard box, where Correa – small and all – was mischievous to position himself between his two markers and deflect with a header before the departure of a surprised Gazzaniga. The 2 to 1 rewarded the effectiveness of Simeone’s team. There was, however, a scent of injustice in the air, since minutes before the referee had omitted a clear penalty for Savio that could have complicated things for the Madrid team.
Little Angel shouted
Miguel Sánchez’s men never gave up developing the game that transformed them into the great revelation of Spanish football. Not even after at the beginning of the second half Girona received a tremendous blow with Griezmann’s right-wing missile that became 3 to 1. A triangulation by the Argentines on one side led to a cross into the area by De Paul which Solís defectively rejected. The mistake fell to the French striker, who riddled Gazzaniga with his less capable leg.
With 7 games left in the tournament, it is almost impossible for Aleti to catch up with Real Madrid, the comfortable leader. However, the objective is not to move out of the Champions zone and perhaps finish runner-up, if he can overcome Girona and Barcelona, the teams he has above him today. And don’t be careless with the pursuers: Bilbao, brand new champions of the Copa del Rey, are lurking with five points, which could be two if they win their match this Sunday against Villarreal.
For the anecdote, Argentina could have had another scorer on Aleti’s great afternoon, but Nahuel Molina did not adjust his aim and his bomb whistled past Gazzaniga’s post.
The goal that Molina missed
It will be a hectic week of maximum tension for Cholo Simeone’s team, which on Tuesday will face revenge against Borussia Dortmund, in Germany, for a place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. In the first leg, Aleti seemed to win comfortably, but in the end things got complicated and they achieved a tight 2-1 victory.