Madrid (AFP)
Strong leader: excellent since the start of the season, Atlético Madrid ended 2020 with an 11th victory in 14 La Liga games, winning 1-0 against Getafe on Wednesday for the 16th day of the Spanish league, thanks to the inevitable Luis Suarez.
The Uruguayan "gunslinger" unblocked the situation for the Colchoneros, extending with a head towards the small right net of Ruben Yanez a free kick filed by Yannick Carrasco (20th).
Suarez, who will be 34 years old on January 24, is back in great shape after his Covid-19 episode, which deprived him of three weeks of competition between mid-November and December 5: after a period of scarcity in early December, The Uruguayan transferred from Barca last summer has scored three times in Madrid's last three games, including a brace against Elche on December 19.
A great way to end 2020 for Diego Simeone's 500th game in La Liga (and his 301st victory): thanks to this new success, Atlético temporarily becomes the sole leader with 35 points, and puts pressure on Real Madrid, who faces the promoted Elche later in the evening (9:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. GMT).
Despite the announcement on Tuesday of the departure of a real figure from the club, Diego Costa (32), for personal reasons, and the poignant farewell message sent by the Spanish-Brazilian center forward on Instagram on Wednesday , the Colchoneros have found the resources, in the wake of a defense that is still as impervious and an attack Carrasco - Suarez - Joao Felix - Thomas Lemar more and more formidable, to overcome the neighbor Getafe.
Simeone's favorite opponent in La Liga: in 18 games under his leadership, the Colchoneros have played 18 games without a setback against the Madrid suburbs, with 34 goals scored and none conceded.
At the start of the evening, Valence CF lost 2-1 to the surprising Granada.
Despite the goal of Kévin Gameiro (36th), Valencia ended the match nine against ten, after the exclusions of Jason (70th) and Gonçalo Guedes (73rd), and the direct red card inflicted on Domingos Duarte (76th) on the Andalusian side.
The Valencians, entangled in a financial crisis, end the year 2020 in 16th place in the standings, tied on points (15 pts) with Valladolid, the first relegation.
© 2020 AFP