Madrid – Just four days after a hard-fought victory against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, where they played with ten men, Atlético de Madrid struggled in their LaLiga match against Villarreal, settling for a draw 1-1 Saturday. This is Atlético’s second consecutive poor performance in the league, easing some of the pressure on leaders Real Madrid.
After being led at the Metropolitano in the 29th minute following a penalty converted by veteran Gerard Moreno, Diego Simeone’s men managed to equalize thanks to a goal from Brazilian midfielder Samuel Lino in the 57th minute.
Despite the entry into play of French superstar Antoine Griezmann and Argentine Rodrigo de Paul, as well as numerous chances late in the match for Atlético, they failed to find the winning goal.
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Currently in second place with 45 points, Atlético risks seeing city rivals Real Madrid extend their lead in the Spanish championship. With 46 points, Real Madrid could widen their gap by winning against Valladolid later in the evening. In addition, FC Barcelona and Athletic Club could move closer to Atlético by taking three points if they win their respective matches against Valencia and Leganés on Sunday.
Simeone, who made seven changes to his starting XI from the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen, played down suggestions that fatigue played a role in the draw. “We have a team with players capable of meeting the demands we will face this season,” he said.
-“The team looked to win at every moment… I believe the draw is a fair result,” admitted the Argentine coach. “The season is long, and we continue our journey, taking one game at a time.”
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Although the point obtained is commendable, Villarreal, who started the match well, still find themselves five points from the qualifying places for the Champions League, currently occupied by Barcelona and Athletic Club.
Earlier on Saturday, Congolese striker Cedric Bakambú, a former Villarreal player, gave Real Betis all three points with a 1-0 victory over Mallorca.
