Party on Tuesday, hangover on Saturday

Party on Tuesday, hangover on Saturday. There is no summary Simeone came out of the tunnel with a mirror pointing at Villarreal: line of five at the back and rest for the men who supported the middle against Leverkusen (De Paul, Grizi and Llorente), in addition to Galán and Lenglet, both of whom are out. Koke returned to the eleven, like Witsel and Correa. Julián and Reinido, two of Tuesday's heroes, and Barrios, the cross that day, remained. The red and whites wanted to regain the lead in the League back to their version of 15 consecutive victories. But for the second game they lacked definition and did not go beyond a draw. He paid for Tuesday's party on Saturday. While the head that didn't occupy so much moves away. Winning was going back to it even if it was only for a little while, until Madrid played, and that's why they attacked Villarreal. To bite him up. Because the last thing in the League was not Leverkusen but the defeat against Lega.

Marcelino's men found themselves in a game that dawned with the ball full of thorns for them. Unable to control the ball, their first minutes were miserable. Atleti accumulated chances and also possession, with 75% in those first minutes but without definition. Cholo's men overwhelmed without finishing. Comesaña is not Even and that was what his team suffered from, as they did not appear against Oblak until the 15th minute of the match, after a fantastic progression by Femenía that Costa kicked high. Then came that play that changed everything.

Because Witsel tried to clear a ball against Gerard Moreno with his pubis, in the area, and Reinildo went to clear it like a truck without brakes. The fact that he touched the ball did not count for the referee or the VAR, but the force with which he had mowed did. Gerard himself threw it and, although Oblak guessed, he did not stop it. 0-1. The second time that Marcelino's team stepped into the area and scored. The striker, by the way, made his usual celebration, that gesture sticking out his tongue, but towards the corner where Margaret's sacred bouquet is and not the other way around. The blow was such that it left Atleti touched and without a pulse. Villarreal now had the right idea and Atleti had the mistakes. Like that bad control by Koke against Baena that would have been 0-2 if Witsel had not dove to the ground to clear with his butt. Comesaña will not be Parejo but at least he has a physique and at that moment Villarreal ate a stiff Koke, a timid Barrios after Tuesday and a Reinildo who returned to his version from before Tuesday, clumsy and hasty. The red and whites rushed into the break like a man in the desert over the water. The air had become thin after Reinildo fell in the area, pulled by the arm by Comesaña, without the referee punishing him with a penalty this time although it did seem like it.

Simeone took advantage of it to make three changes. Neither Reinildo nor Giuliano nor Gallagher would return. In their place were Azpilicueta, Lino and their De Paul engine. Villarreal came out quick and hit the counterattack on the legs of Baena who, as soon as the match restarted, drove, passed to Yeremy and he passed to Gerard. The play did not end in a goal because Witsel stole the clean leather when he just had to finish. The Belgian is older but he knows well where he has to go to steal without a penalty. Villarreal turned towards Oblak's land with energy and Atleti responded with a near miss from Correa and another possible penalty: the fall of De Paul after a contact with Baena that the referee did not see a penalty either. Atleti was exhausted. The goal would not take long to arrive. Nahuel took him to the area, Barrios found Julián and Correa first finished him off with a backheel and Lino then scored it.. 1-1. Villarreal was able to take the lead again in the next play, a lateral foul fueled by Oblak who has a hard time taking the lead and stopped halfway. The danger, by the way, was cleared by Witsel again while the referee issued cards and cards in one direction, the red and white, under a storm of whistles. De Paul ordered, Julián hovered, but at that moment the two coaches had managed to close their areas. All shots were from distance (Atleti) or set pieces (Villarreal).

Simeone introduced Grizi and Llorente's variants, the clock was ticking towards the final minutes with the rojiblancos playing patiently as if they knew that the comeback was going to come when they had the ball and without knowing how to steal it from Villarreal when they didn't. Witsel was able to score 1-2 on a bad clearance and Ayoze too after finishing alone against an Oblak as if stuck with glue under his net. In a blackboard corner, Atleti brought the danger to Junior and a whip from Barrios that forced the goalkeeper to make a save. The red and whites laid siege. Everything happened through a De Paul who has become essential, capable of cleaning every ball that passes through his feet. And supplying them. But Sorloth was missing against the lateral center and Griezmann headed wide. The clock entered 90, for both teams as the start of another new game. His minutes, even if they were only three in addition. Those in which so many goals have come, comebacks. But this time time was not enough. This time the miracle did not happen. Atleti continues with the hangover of fifteen in a row.

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